The Way We Burn
by Roxanne Woods
Summary: Kol Mikaelson: The wildest of Mikaelsons, a true monster hiding behind a beautiful face. He gorges himself on the blood of his victims, not caring for anything but himself. Or maybe it's wrong. Maybe he cares but hides it. Maybe he loves so much he would do anything to protect what is his. To protect his time-travelling wife. Kol x OC TIME-TRAVEL
1. Prologue

So, I wanted to try to write Something I've never done or read before and here it is :)

Disclaimer : I put it once, for all the fic, but I don't own The Vampire Diaries or The Originals.

"Present time" is season 3, episode 13 "Bringing out the dead" after Kol has been undaggered according to wikia. **(update: I've changed the date from 2012 to 2010)**

Enjoy! :)

* * *

 **Prologue**

* * *

 **October 21, 2010.**

The fifteen years old car, a Honda Accord whose grey paint seriously needed a makeover, was running on the road smoothly. The sun had already set and the headlights were put on, the yellow light barely able to pierce through the night. The tall trees on both sides of the road didn't help, their shadows were projected on the asphalt as if to catch the car and not let it go. Still, the vehicle was moving forward.

The road was a very long one. With very few people on it. In fact, at this hour of the day, Nora Caldwell and her Honda Accord were the only ones in the vicinity. From the inside of her car, the twenty years old woman had turned on the radio to distract herself from the monotony of the drive. The loud music was filling the inside of the car, a stark contrast to the silence outside.

"And all along I believed I would find you," Nora sang out of tune, her voice coming out all loud and squeaky. "Time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years. I'll love you for a thousand mooooooooooooooore." _(*)_

It would have been nice to say it was because she was tired but, really, she was just a very bad singer.

Though, she _was_ tired. Being an air hostess could be quite taxing, especially when some assholes decided to annoy the hell out of her. In her first international plane. Twelve hours at serving a bastard with a stick so far up his ass all he could say was shit.

She couldn't wait to be home, Nora thought. Home sweet home, with her slightly overprotective parents who were no doubt waiting for her with a cup of hot chocolate and a warm bath. God, two days away from home, and she was already homesick. How was she supposed to leave her parents' house one day?

At the idea of home, she accelerated, slightly exceeding the speed limit. It wasn't something she often did, quite the contrary actually. But it wasn't like she was going to die the _one time_ she chose to not respect the highway code. Really, the straight empty road was practically begging her to speed up.

With one hand on the wheel, she used the other to turn the volume of the radio up. Her eyes left the sight of the dark bitumen barely a few seconds. Still, it was enough for something to appear in front of her car.

Her breath stopped when the shadow appeared in her peripheral vision. Quickly, Nora put her second hand next to the first on the wheel and tried to maneuver the car and avoid hitting the unknown element. Whatever it was, it didn't move and it was too close. She hit it violently. The airbag went off and she lost the little control she had. With horror, she felt the car continue its crazy race and hit something else.

Her whole body was hurting. Logic asked her to try to reach her phone and call her parents – or at least an ambulance. However, logic wasn't the first thing on her mind. Nora had hit something. Her body shook. She had hit something. God, she might have killed an animal. And she could feel blood running along her cheeks. And she had hit something. Something that might be dying. And it was the first time, the very first time, she had exceeded the speed limit. The very first time.

Shakily, she extracted herself from the car. The bumper was destroyed, crashed into a tree. A hysterical scream tried to cross her lips and she barely managed to hold it. Instead, she broke into tears, scared and relieved to be alive.

Crying had always helped her to think more clearly and this time wasn't any different. Once she felt better – even if only a bit – Nora remembered the thing possibly dying she had hit. She raised her head and took a step away from the car. She looked around her, trying to see through the darkness. There was nothing. A shiver crept across her heart. An alarm rang out in her head. Something was wrong. Very wrong.

The sound of clapping suddenly filled the silence, startling her.

"Well, well, well… What do we have here?" a man said huskily.

She tensed. Every instinct she didn't know she had screamed at her to run as fast as she could. But she couldn't, her feet couldn't move, glued to the asphalt.

The man chuckled, his voice promising thousands of horrors. Footsteps. She begged her own feet to move but to no avail. She was literally paralyzed by fear. The presence was now behind her. Nora could feel the man's breath on her neck. _Move_ , she screamed inwardly. _Move damn it!_

Lips touched her neck. A hand ran along her long red hair tied into a ponytail. Another hand touched the small of her back.

"Run," he whispered, and she did. She ran as if the devil was behind her. And he was. She ran and ran, her lunges burning and tears blinding her. But no matter how fast she ran, Nora could still hear the man cackling, feel his breath on her neck and his hand on her. She didn't stop running. Until she did. Her knees gave out and she fell on the ground.

She just had enough time to acknowledge the pain in her hands and knees that the man roughly grabbed her and yanked her back on her feet. He put a hand on her mouth and used it to push her head aside. His lips trailed from her jaw to the side of her neck. He sank his teeth into her throat. It hurts. _Please let me go. Please. I don't want to die._

Nora didn't understand what was happening. The man – the monster – was drinking her blood. It pleased him. She tried to push him away but he was so strong and her so weak. Instead of her escaping, she ended up being pressed up against him. There were no space between them. She could feel every lines of his body. His arousal. He grunted.

She wanted to disappear. The thought of dying didn't seem so scary anymore. She just wanted to be far away, as far from the monster as possible.

A hand touched her left breast and tears left her eyes. Nothing would save her tonight. Not herself, not someone else. Not any gods. Would her body be found? Or would she be left to rot somewhere?

The monster shove his arousal into her ass and moaned. He rubbed himself against her. His teeth sank further into her neck. Nora felt heavier, somehow. Everything felt off.

A sharp noise followed by a ferocious growl reverberated somewhere behind them. Whatever it was, it scared the monster holding Nora enough for him to tense and release her neck. He was still holding her though, and her blood was pouring out of her wound. Somehow, the growl behind them awoke her and filled her with energy.

Desperate, she struggled and bit harshly into the hand on her mouth. The monster growled and slapped her hard. The crack of her jaw and her cry went unheard as whatever had stopped the monster growled even fiercer.

A movement caught her eyes but it was too quick for her to see. In the blink of an eye, the monster had been thrust away. He crashed into a tree before disappearing again. Growls, pained cries and cracks could be heard, as well as dark chuckles.

She ran. She left the road and enter the meager protection the trees offered. She stumbled on roots and branches scratched her face. Her whole body was hurting. Her clothes were stained with blood and the wound of her neck was by far the worse wound she had ever had.

She tripped over and hit the ground. Dirt filled her mouth. She wanted to stop. Just, stop. But the growls could still be heard. She wasn't far enough. She would never be far enough. Trembling, she got back on her feet and ran again. _Mom. Dad. Hot chocolate. Warm bath._ _Mom. Dad. Hot chocolate. Warm bath. Safe._

The words played on a loop inside her head. _Safe_ , she repeated again and again. She would see them again. Safe. Safe. Safe!

Then her foot didn't meet the ground. It only met empty air and she was falling. Again. A harsh pent and she was rolling down a slope. Her nails scrapped the ground, trying in vain to grab a hold of something. Anything.

It stopped and there was pain. Always pain. Stronger than on her neck. A large branch stuck out of her stomach. Nora could only stare at it, not really understanding how she could die like that. She had never done anything bad nor adventurous in her life. She had always settled for average and safe. So, why? Why dying like this at twenty years old?

Drops of blood or tears - probably both - rolled down her cheeks. Soon, she couldn't see anything - not that she had before, with how dark it was. Thoughts of her family filled her mind. Her family and hot chocolate. The warmth of her mother's hugs. The protection of her dad's mere presence. Their home, always welcoming despite the mess it could be.

Fingers touched her face softly - lovingly?

"It'll be alright sweetheart," someone said tenderly. "You'll be alright."

Nora wanted to understand the words, but she was far too gone. Still, the voice was comforting. She felt she should know him. Yet she didn't. Or did she? She didn't know anything anymore.

Skin against her lips. Fingers opening her mouth. Pain in her broken jaw. A thick, sweet liquid in her mouth, flowing down her throat. Tingles all over her body.

She burned.

The world went black.

 **October 1409.**

Nora blinked. The sun blinded her so she closed her eyes. Color spots danced behind her eyelids and she waited for them to disappear. She absently noted that she was naked.

She opened her eyes, a hand blocking the light.

The sky, blue and boundless, was before her. It was waiting for her, she mused. Her arm stretched toward it, as if to touch the clouds she knew were gaseous.

A soft laugh brought her back. Brought back the monster, the thing that saved her from it, the run, the branch in her stomach and the voice. Oh god, _the branch in her stomach!_ However, there was no pain now, only fear and confusion.

She got back on her feet quickly, feeling strong. She shouldn't. She should be dead. But she wasn't. Why?

The scene in front of her put a stop to her thoughts. She froze. _Please, not again._

A man was standing in front of her. His clothes were ancient, the kind of clothes she had only ever seen on TV shows. In fact, the whole scene looked like being straight from some historical show. And yet, it wasn't that which made her freeze. No. It was the bodies on the ground around her, the stench only registering now. It was the odd angles of arms and legs. The wounds on necks. And the man standing in the middle of the carnage, smiling at her peacefully, a light in his dark eyes showing his happiness and a bloody heart in his hand.

Was he a monster? Or the Grim Reaper himself?

"Hello Darling," he grinned, "don't look too happy to see me."

* * *

(*) Christina Peri, _A thousand years_.

So, this is it for the prologue. The rest of the fic will be - except for a few chapters - only from Kol's POV. Don't hesitate to let me know what you think, or if you saw some mistakes (English isn't my first language). I hope to see you next time (soon).


	2. Chapter 1

**C** **hapter 1**

* * *

 **10th century**

Kol lifted the fork over his head and flexed his arms. An exhalation, and the tool went back in front of him. It struck the soil under his feet. The sharp metal teeth sank in the ground, leaving several deep gashes. He started once again. And again. And again. The veins on his arms were bulging and sweat was running down his spine.

It was a mechanical movement, one who had become automatic over the years. While his arms were working, his mind was wandering. The world around him disappeared. Rebekah and the berries she was gathering for the evening meal became a blurred color spot. Same with Henrik who was helping their sister and Finn who were feeding the cattle.

A sudden move on his right drew his attention and, as the fork touched the soil, Kol turned his head. Leaving the forest, Elijah and Nik were carrying two deer, one on Elijah's shoulder and one on Nik's. The latter whose morphology was slightly thinner than his other brothers, had his back stooped because of his load. Even from where he was, Kol could hear him pant with effort.

Seeing their brothers, Rebekah got back on her feet and let her basket fall on the ground. A few berries slipped from it but she paid no attention and, instead, ran toward them. Her passage disturbed the soil Kol had been working on and he could only watch with annoyance the long gashes disappear. Henrik, who had also risen to his feet, smiled sheepishly before he ran behind Rebekah.

Kol watched his brothers and sister from a distance without taking a break. His arms were aching, begging him to stop and join them, but he had no desire to finish his chore later and lose time to practice magic.

"Nik! Let me see!" Henrik pleaded, bouncing next to Nik. The boy of eleven winters seemed to be ready to hang at their brother's neck and his eyes were sparkling.

Rebekah pulled on the other arm and Nik grimaced slightly when the carcass on his shoulder slipped a bit.

"Can't you two wait to be home for that?" he asked.

Their two younger siblings both grinned and answered at the same time, "No!"

Elijah snickered. It didn't last long though and he quickly stood up straight while looking at something behind Kol. For a short moment, Kol thought their father was back from his last raid and was there. Then he realized Nik had straightened up too, his face relaxed. Smiling, even. If it was their father, he would have been slightly behind Elijah.

Kol rolled his eyes. There was only one person who could engender such a reaction in his brothers. The funny face Rebekad was trying to hide with her hand only confirmed his assumption: The beautiful widow and mother of a son, Tatia.

"Elijah," the woman called out.

Kol heard footsteps and smiled pleasantly at her when she came by his side. Contrary to his sister, Tatia made sure to not ruin his work, being careful on where she stepped and carrying her son. The little boy was looking around him with eyes agog. A bit like Henrik when he was his age. Or still now, actually.

Tatia continued to walk, greeting each of them, including Finn who only answered with a short nod. Not that Tatia minded. Finn hadn't been the same since the death of his wife. A miscarriage, two months earlier. Their father was thinking on bringing him on some raids to raise his spirits. Which meant, sacking villages and having his way with helpless women.

Kol's lips curled in a sneer. He put his fork down and leant on it. He truly hoped Finn would pull himself together quickly before his father transformed him into the perfect bloodthirsty Viking. Gods knew it, their mother would never try to stop Mikael. Which Kol could not for the life of him understand. How could someone practice magic, devote themselves to Nature, and still support the bloody murders committed by the so-called love of their life?

"Tatia," Nik greeted her adoringly, for the disgust and jealousy of their little sister, "to what do we owe the pleasure of your visit?"

Tatia gave him a smile before looking at Elijah, her eyes softening. The boy on her arms squirmed and tried to reach out to Elijah.

"Leif, don't bother Elijah, he's busy," the young mother said softly.

"It's alright Tatia, don't worry," Elijah answered. He moved the weight of the deer on a shoulder and ruffled the hair of the boy who adored him. "You came."

"Well, you asked me."

Lost in their world, neither Elijah nor Tatia saw the hurt in Nik's eyes. Same with Rebekah who, at the age of fourteen summers, was more interested at making faces, and Henrik, who was too young. Kol, on the other hand, didn't miss it and sighed.

Nik and Elijah were both of marriageable age and hopelessly in love with the pretty Tatia. Who, for all her smiles at Nik, was clearly enamored with Elijah. Only blind people could miss it.

This situation, the brothers were hiding it from their parents. Mikael would never allow one of his son to sully their name with a woman – whore by his words – who had refused to be burned with the corpse of her husband. As for their mother, while she was always smiling kindly at the widow when they met at the market, she never hesitated to say exactly what she thought of her in the privacy of their home.

Kol was neither against nor for. He disliked the tension between his brothers but didn't have anything against Tatia. Contrary to his parents, he had no problem with a woman becoming more independent. Nature asked for balance and he had no doubt such an equilibrium had also to be reached within the human race. Of course, he had no intention to make his point of view known. It wasn't a very popular opinion inside the community.

Not wanting to take side against one of his brothers but not liking the sadness and self-loathing in Nik's eyes, Kol smirked and made a swift move of his hand. Magic flowed in his blood and he relished in the feeling of plenitude, of power who went through him.

He watched gleefully as the carcass on Elijah's back fell on the ground for the greatest embarrassment of his brother. And the hilarity of the others, including Tatia.

"Well, well, well Elijah, already tired?" Nik snickered.

Elijah, red, stammered an explanation, "I don't understand, I was holding it." He then narrowed his eyes and glared at Kol, "Kol, what have you done?"

"My dear brother, I have absolutely no idea what you're speaking about," he answered cheekily.

Tatia moved in front of Elijah, a hand holding Leif and the other on her hip. "Elijah, there's no need to blame your brother," she chuckled. "Now, not that I'm not happy to see you, but why did you ask me to come here while you're all busy?"

Elijah's glare softened considerably. He picked up the dead deer and took advantage of the moment to pinch kindly Leif's nose.

"Niklaus and I have hunted two deer," he explained. "Take one with you, for you and your son."

Tatia raised an eyebrow, surprised.

"Thank you Elijah, I'm grateful but I can feed my son myself. We're only two after all."

Nik rolled his eyes. "By Odin, woman, just take it."

"Hush Niklaus," Elijah cut him off with a smirk. "Tatia, I know you're perfectly able to provide for your family but you shouldn't have to."

Tatia snorted, shocking Rebekah. "I'm a woman, Elijah, not an infirm."

Kol hold back a chuckle and shook his head. Disregarding the conversation he swept the air away with his hand and long gashes appeared on the ground. Their father hated when Kol used magic for his chore, but it was a bit late now and Kol had had enough of it.

"My Lady," he grinned at Tatia while bending down exaggeratedly, "little Leif, my dear siblings, it's time for me to leave."

"Kol," Rebekah began to say but he stopped her.

"No," he exclaimed tragically, "don't. I cannot stay any longer. My apologies. Try not to suffer on my absence... too much."

He didn't let them enough time to answer and turned. He moved away towards a hut where he could put his fork away. On the way, he saw Barral, one of their three thralls. An iron necklace and short black hair showed the world his slave status. With a tired face, the man of twenty-three summers was getting the manure ready so he could spread it on the field later. Kol stopped in front of him and the thrall kept his eyes on his leather shoes.

"Barral, you'll put the fork away in the hut."

"Yes master Kol."

This being said, Kol took the road leading to their familial thatched house. He ignored the thin young woman with short blond hair washing the clothes. Her hands calloused and red from doing the washing, Sigr was a slave too. She was in their family since her very birth, twenty winters ago. Her mother, Ruth, already belonged to their family in the old world. Even though nobody would say it aloud, it was very likely Sigr was born from an intercourse between their father and Ruth.

Of course, it didn't make her his sister, but only a slave with some physical resemblance with the head of the family, which wasn't a rare occurrence within their people.

Kol continued to walk. His head raised, he failed to see the second bucket and his foot hit it. Stagnant water spilled over the ground, staining the already dirty tunic of Sigr. Kol grimaced.

The young woman bowed low, her lips touching the soiled ground.

"I-I'm sorry master Kol," she stammered before trying to wipe off the ground and his shoes with her own cloth. Tears appeared in the corner of her eyes.

He sighed, "Nonsense, it was my fault."

Closing his eyes, he focused on his magic to evaporate the water and dry the muddy ground. Once it was done, he paid no attention to Sigr's gasp and rummaged through his saddlebag. He took out a piece of dry meat and handed it to her.

"Here, take it. You look like you need it more than me."

"I-I-I… I can't accept it master," she spluttered.

He put it in her hand. "It's an order."

The slave thanked him several time, only stopping when he was far enough away. Once he reached the house, his eyes began to sparkle and he jogged the last steps.

At the center of the large and unique room of the thatched house, his mother was spinning wool near the fire. He could already imagine the soft fabric she would create with her thin and soft fingers.

At the table, Ruth was making dinner. Kol called out to her not unkindly, "Ruth, Elijah and Niklaus have killed a deer for the meal this evening."

He then turned to his mother, went by her side and sat on the ground, a leg folded over the other and an arm draped across it. He tilted his head and stared at the delicate face of his mother, Esther.

The woman raised an eyebrow and gave him a sidelong look but didn't stop her work. Seeing as she had no intent to give him her whole attention, he came closer to her and looked at her fixedly.

"Mother," he began to say hastily, ready to defend his cause.

"My son," she said derisively.

"Can I borrow your grimoire please?"

Esther sighed, "Kol, you know what your father thinks of you practicing magic. It's not a suitable activity for a young man of your age and standing."

His jaw clenched. "Then it's a good thing Father isn't there this week."

Not liking his tone, Esther ceased spinning and put her hands on her knees. She turned to face him completely.

"Kol, your father is a good man. A proud warrior who provide for us."

"Is it your definition of a good man, Mother?"

"Kol -"

He cut her off, "Because we obviously have different ones."

Esther touched his cheek tenderly.

"Maybe," she said softly, "but even then, I see you in the same manner as your father, my son. One day, you too will become a proud warrior. A fierce one. You will have a family and will take care of them. Just like the good man you are."

Kol shook his head and pushed away her hand.

"If Father is your definition of a good man, then I have to desire to be one. Nor do I want to become a warrior."

She frowned. "Kol, you shouldn't speak of your father in such a way."

"Words said in the privacy of our home and far from his ears cannot harm his honor."

"My son, I pray Odin for the day you understand your father."

He snorted in a vulgar way and threw a branch in the fire. The flames was reflected in his dark eyes. "Pray Nature, you will have more chance. Regardless, I didn't come to speak about Father but to ask you for you spell book."

A long sigh escaped his mother's lips and silence followed it. Only the crackling of the flames and Ruth's knife cutting food could be heard.

Finally, after a few minutes, Esther spoke, "Why do you need it? Haven't you started writing your own?"

Kol grinned proudly.

"Indeed, but for what I have in mind, I need yours. I would like to create a golden rose for Rebekah."

She locked eyes with him, seemingly seeking some unknown answers, before nodding.

"Ruth, bring me my grimoire."

"Yes My Lady."

* * *

The grimoire carefully wrapped in a cloth and packed inside a leather bag, Kol was walking through the forest with a peaceful smile on his face. All around him, there were tall and leafy trees, thousands of plants and hundreds of insects and wild animals. Everything in the forest was breathing Life. Nature under its purer form. His magic felt serene and he… He felt whole. Alive. The sword fastened to his hips - a request of his mother – almost felt like an insult to the plenitude of the place.

He reached the clearing where he had previously found the roses and began to skim the spell book, looking for clues. Of course, he wasn't expecting to find the spell he needed but maybe if he was to combined several spells… A golden rose would please Rebekah, of that he had no doubt. His younger sister had been sad lately, ever since she didn't have the whole attention of Finn, Elijah and Nik. Henrik was there for her, naturally, but Kol knew she still felt lonely. He really wanted to see a true smile on her face again.

He was turning a page when a powerful wave of magic passed through him. He was left panting. A hand on his heart, he rose to his feet and put the other hand on his sword. The magic hadn't felt hostile. Quite the contrary, actually. He had never felt such a level of purity. Nevertheless, it had also been foreign and, somehow, scorching.

He moved towards where he had felt the wave coming from, his own magic ready to defend him if necessary. He left the clearing and went deeper into the forest. The magic in the place felt stronger with every step he took. It brushed his skin and a shiver went through him.

Kol gulped and his grip on his sword tightened. He pushed away a branch, stepped forward and stopped, wide-eyed. Laying on the ground, curled up, a young naked woman was on fire. Literally. Her long bright red hair was failing to hide her curves and woman parts that shouldn't have been on display. The flames, while disappearing, were licking her golden skin without hurting her. There were ashes, too. On her, under her, and all around her.

Magic emanated from her, powerful, pure and wild.

Kol felt himself blushing and swallowed his saliva. He turned around and probed with his magic the fire to know the exact moment it died. The moment came with the disappearance of the woman's magic. He took off his wool coat and walked up to her, all the while being careful at keeping his eyes on her face.

He covered the unidentified woman with it. Inadvertently, his fingers touched her skin and he gasped. Magic was still there, whirling under her skin. For a short moment, barely a few seconds, he caught a glimpse of an untamable fire and a man who was the spitting image of himself, except for being slightly older.

He pulled his hand away abruptly and fixed his gaze on the peculiar being in front of him, puzzled.

His eyes went back to her face when he heard her take a sharp inspiration. Her eyelids fluttered before they opened. Blue eyes stared at him, confused.

They were silent, and Kol didn't dare to move. He had no desire to scare her more than she was. Eventually, after what seemed to be an endless amount of time, she half-opened her lips. She licked them and hesitantly murmured, "Kol?"

He nodded, impassive. Inwardly, he wondered if this was a joke from his brothers. He knew, he _knew_ , that no brother of his practiced magic and they wouldn't have been able to reproduced the sensation he had felt. Even his mother, he seriously doubted she could do such a thing. But how to explain that the woman knew his name? Surely, his brothers wouldn't have bother searching for someone with magic, telling them what his name was and how he looked, and putting them in the forest completely naked. Right?

Besides, Kol had never seen her before. He was sure of that. Never would he have forgotten someone with such a magic. Even now, he could still remember her power brushing his skin.

"Kol," she repeated and her eyes filled with tears. She threw herself into his arms. He didn't even have time to understand what was happening that her arms had locked him in a firm embrace. She buried her face into his chest. The wool coat had slipped with the movement. Her naked body was pressed against him, her breast against his chest.

Kol, tensed, could only look at the top of her head, his mouth half open and his eyes wide open. Was she a woman of easy virtue? Was she trying to seduce him in exchange for food and roof over her head?

She began to ramble and he didn't understand a word. Not a word, except for his name. She was speaking in a foreign language with a very weird accent.

He put his hand on her shoulder, ignored the delicious burn of her magic on his skin and pushed her away. He tried to not be too brusque but the confusion and hurt on her face told him he had failed.

He breathed. Whoever she was, he owed her nothing.

"Woman, I don't understand what you're saying."

She furrowed her brow. Her hurt look disappeared, for his relief. Instead, she looked bewildered. Which he totally understood.

" _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx?_ "

He hesitated. He still didn't understand a word of what she said and didn't know what to do. Should he bring her to the village? She was obviously a foreigner and had no knowledge of personal space. She was rather beautiful, even if a bit exotic, Kol thought begrudgingly. Chance were, she would end up as a bed-warmer. Strangely, the idea left him with a bitter taste in the mouth. Her big blue eyes looking at him with trust didn't help.

There was almost something familiar with her, which didn't make any sense.

Finally, he resigned himself. He couldn't bring her to the village and trust someone else with her, and he couldn't turn around and forget her. Besides, her magic intrigued him and, let's face it, he loved mysteries.

He walked around her, picked up the coat and gave it to her with closed eyes. He heard the distinct noise of someone putting clothes on and opened his eyes when he felt her fingers on his arms.

And he spluttered. Sure, she had put the coat on but had let it open. With fast jerky movements, looking everywhere but her, he closed the coat and placed her arms on it to keep her covered.

"By all Gods, woman, don't you have any modesty?"

She tilted her head, a flicker of a smile on her lips.

He pinched the bridge of his nose so he could calm himself. Only then he stared at her sternly. Or, at least, he hoped he looked stern.

There was a gleam in the woman's eyes and she suddenly pressed her hand on his chest, just above his heart, before pulling it away. She laughed, then. A strange laugh, halfway between edginess and amusement. Maybe she was just crazy…

Disregarding her possible madness, he pointed himself out and said his name. Once done, he aimed his forefinger at her, the silent question obvious.

"Nora," she answered him with a cheeky grin.

She held out her hand to him and he looked at the limb, perplexed. Seeing that he wasn't reacting, she grabbed one of his hand and shook it with a firm grip. Which left him even more perplexed.

"Kol," she grinned, " _xxxxxxxxxxx._ "

* * *

This is it for chapter 1 and the first time witchy human Kol met Nora! Let me know what you think, and see you next time :)


	3. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

* * *

Kol watched as the red berry flew to the sky before it came down. It banged into the nose of Nora who had been trying to catch it with her mouth wide open and fell on the ground. It rolled, only stopping a few feet away.

The young, foreign, peculiar, and really strange woman had to try a few more time to catch one. When a berry finally landed into her mouth, she let out a cry of joy and turned toward him. She was delighted and beaming, her eyes sparkling. Her smile only became bigger when she saw him staring at her.

Unwillingly, Kol felt his face getting warmer. Something which, he was sure, was bound to happen again in her company. Besides not having any modesty or notion of personal space, she tended to smile and look at him as if he was something, someone precious. A thing he was far from being used to. Actually, he had more fingers on his hands than he had people regarding him as someone worthy of being cared for. To be a man and still do magic didn't make him someone well respected in the village. Quite the contrary.

Not that he cared. Magic and Mother Nature were far more important than the approval of some simpletons. And though his parents disliked his lack of interest in the ways of war, he still could rely on the support of his siblings. Henrik and Rebekah, especially, loved seeing him do magic.

Still… It wasn't completely unpleasant to be looked at the way Nora did. He would even go so far to say it felt good. Somehow.

His lips quivered when, still beaming, she ran to him and sat cross-legged on the ground beside him.

Her acts never failed to surprise him, especially as they were always far from being proper. The distance between them was too short. She was wearing men's clothes, a tunic and a pair of pants which belonged to him. Despite being too large for her frame, they still revealed the shape of her legs and crotch. The way she sat didn't help. Never before had he seen a woman posing in such a way, letting the space between her legs in plain view.

And he had seen her naked, which didn't help either.

He really needed to find her women's clothes. The problem was, he couldn't ask his mother. He had no desire for the information to reach his father. For the same reason, Sigr and Ruth couldn't help him. As for Rebekah, her dresses would undoubtedly be too small for the curves of Nora's body. Also, he couldn't ask for her to buy some dresses to an artisan. His younger sister was too curious and would insist on meeting Nora. That was absolutely out of the question. Even though the young woman hadn't given him any reason to be suspicious, he wouldn't forget the power running in her veins and had no intention of endanger Rebekah.

Nora dropped a berry in his hand, unaware of his dilemma.

" _A berry_ ," she said with a smile in her foreign language.

He repeated the word, his tongue positioned in an unusual way. The sounds leaving his mouth felt strange, different, and he had to concentrate for each syllable.

" _Two berries_ ," she continued as she added a second fruit.

Once again, he repeated. Their game continued until she had dropped each one of the berries she had picked earlier under his watchful eye. Indeed, after he had left her the first evening with a fire, wood to stoke it, a dead squirrel and a knife, he had understood that the woman was simply incompetent. Even the simplest task, something that even a child would be able to do, she couldn't accomplish it. She didn't know how to skin animals, recognize which plant was edible or even hydrate herself with sap. Instead, she could smile, eat, and speak several languages, none of which he knew. She had entertained herself by telling him the word tree in three different languages. Which was completely useless. Especially when none of those languages would help her to integrate the village in another way than as a bed-warmer.

His theory, for the moment, was that she came from a rich family in the Old World where she had been spoiled rotten. After a raid, she had probably found herself as a slave to his people, came to the New World with her master and managed to escape thanks to her magic. Magic that she didn't seem to control. In short, her only skill lay in the fact that she was quite beautiful.

And shameless, with no manners. Which was slightly disturbing, but no less irritating than their trouble to communicate. Well, his difficulty in communicating because, somehow, she always seemed to understand what he meant. Another strange thing from the strange woman.

He caught her wrist and turned her hand so the palm faced the sky. Like her before, he dropped a berry in her hand. In doing that, he noted the softness of her skin. It only confirmed the idea that she had never had to work before. Even his mother's hand was rougher.

She must felt lost.

"A berry," he said quietly.

She licked her lips and repeated, "a berry."

Once they got to five berries, she had to start again three times before getting the right pronunciation. When she did, he nodded with a small smile. And once again showing her incapacity to act normally, she launched herself into his arms. He tensed immediately.

Not only was it awkward, but she was also rather lucky he had been the one to find her. Another man would have already have his way with her, what with the way she acted. And the worst was, he knew she trusted him.

Her arms slid around his waist, making it even more awkward. Under her weight, he fell backwards and found himself lying on the ground with Nora on him.

His eyes grew to their widest proportion as he tried to remove her from his person. And failed, spectacularly. Contrary to what her figure suggested, she was rather strong for a woman.

"Woman, release me!" he spluttered, red in the face and struggling, "It's really not appropriate!"

Her face buried in his chest, she began to speak in that language of her. Just like it had been for the last three days since their meeting, he only understood his name.

Suddenly, her arms squeezed him and she said, "I love you Kol."

Her accent was barely there, as if it was something she was used to say.

It was the first time someone said him these words. And they came from a strange woman, possibly mad, that he barely knew. Nature must be testing him and his patience. And his ability to endure disconcerting and uncomfortable situation.

"Woman, what are you talking about? You don't know what you're saying!"

She repeated the words, again and again, and he felt his tunic becoming wetter. He stopped struggling. Gods, not the waterfall.

Why did women cry?

Did they know how effective it was to get what they want?

Gods, she was crying for real.

Like, really real. With tears, sniffles and, he guessed, red puffy eyes.

He hated tears. And sniffles. And puffy eyes.

With a sigh, he taped her head kindly - and awkwardly. Surely she had heard the words at her previous master's house before running away. She probably didn't understand their meaning and was trying to express herself. If the tears were of any clues, she was sad.

It reminded her of his previous thought. She must felt lost and only had him to rely on.

She raised her head. His eyes lost themselves into hers. They were full of thousands emotions, of thousands words he couldn't understand. He wasn't sure he would ever.

Still, he didn't stop stroking the top of her head and moved a strand of hair behind her ear. Suddenly, an idea popped into his brain.

He took hold of her chin and turned her head. There, he extended a hand, palm towards the ground. His magic ran free out of him, spreading around them like a whirlwind. Gods, he loved magic. It was his very reason to be alive.

A heatwave enveloped them. Under his fingers, a red rose bloomed. He whispered the spell his mother used to preserve the food, picked the flower and put it in her hair.

She stared at him, surprise on her face, before she smiled, radiant, her tears forgotten. Thanks Mother Nature.

"Oh Kol, thank you," she exclaimed, "thank you, _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_."

"Right, don't get used to it," he grumbled without caring whether she understood him or not.

Although, in a way she did understand him, as she laughed and ruffled his hair fondly. " _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_."

Really, that woman didn't make any sense.

* * *

Kol waited for Nora to be inside her shelter. For lack of time, he had only been able to build her a skin hut like the primitive people also living in the New World. Other skins lied inside the tent so that she could sleep comfortably and stay warm.

He put wood in the fire to keep it going, made sure that she had a water jar and some fruits and left the camp. The first night, he had used his mother's grimoire so he could cast a spell that cloaked the place. Only a witch would be able to find it. Or at least, feel there was something hidden there. It was only temporary though, because he had no desire to test his magic against the wolves on the full moon. He needed to build her something stronger and more protected before then. Or find someone who would let her without anyone else knowing in the caves while the wolves was running around.

Really, taking care of Nora was time consuming. The little free time he had was spent on it. Inwardly, he knew it couldn't stay that way, but he didn't know how to remedy to the situation. His logic dictated him to bring her to a head of clan of the village. His instinct, however, shouted at him to not do that. Especially as the mystery of her magic was still as strong as three days ago. Somehow, he doubted he would understand it before they were able hold a conversation.

And he still had not made any progress on his gift to Rebekah.

He left the forest and a flicker of a smile chased across his lips when he saw his sister. A crown of flowers decorated her golden hair and she was covering Henrik's head with petals.

"Henrik! Rebekah!" he hailed them cheerfully, determined to forget his worries for now.

They looked towards him. A second passed and Henrik ran to him, followed closely by their sister. His younger brother threw himself into his arms. Chuckling, Kol spun him. He then dropped him and Rebekah jumped into his arms, "Twirl me too, Kol !"

"Are you sure little bird?" he teased her, "I wouldn't want to ruin that beautiful flower wreath."

"Please Kol, I want to fly!"

He grinned, lifted her up and twirled her in a circle. To her delight, her feet took off the ground.

"Faster Kol, faster!"

He went faster and resisted the urge to close his eyes. The world became some blurred mix of colors. As his arms began to tire, he slipped on a mound of dirt. He fell to the ground, taking Rebekah down with him. Luckily, his body cushioned the fall. If it hadn't, he could only imagine the inventive ways his older brothers would have made him suffer.

She rolled on his left, out of breath. Henrik came by their side and looked at them, a gleam in his eyes

"What's the view like from down there?" he teased them.

Rebekah stuck her tongue out and threw some bits of grass on him.

"As well as the one from above," she grumbled.

"Is that so?"

Without any warning, their younger brother let himself fall on them. Rebekah screeched, making Kol roar with laughter.

* * *

So, the adventures of witchy human Kol continue! It's rather fun to imagine what kind of reaction a man from the 10th century would have to a woman from the 21st century! Like, I just realized I could never time-travel so far (yeah, let me dream of the day time-travel is invented). Wearing dress every day, ok there're worst thing. Lack of shower? One day, ok, two days, it become annoying… Every days without hot water? Hell no! Same with the food… And you, could you?

Anyway, we'll see human Kol for a few next chapters :)

See you next time!


	4. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

* * *

Somehow, his own snores woke Kol up. He sat up straight hastily, a hand on his pounding heart. The last traces of his dream flew away, forever out of his reach. Only the feeling of having run faster than he had ever did and being more thirsty than he had ever been remained.

It wasn't the first time he had this particular dream. Ever since he had done magic for the very first time, he had this dream at least once a week. Sometimes more, but never less. He could never remember the exact details though. They were always eluding him, blending together in a swirl of vague feelings and blurred images. And yet, the race and the thirst were deeply rooted inside his mind. His body, even. Despite being awake, he could still feel the dryness, the ache in his throat, the attempt to drink his own saliva to find some relief, and the desire, the true desire, to drink, drink, and drink until he was full.

The thick bearskin cover which had protected him from the fresh night air fell on his thighs and he shivered despite the fire at the center of the room. Henrik, who until now had been sleeping huddled against him, wrapped his own cover tighter around himself and tried to snuggle against Kol a little more. His nose crinkled when he didn't find his usual source of heat. Fondly, Kol pushed a lock of hair behind his little bother's ear.

His older siblings were still sleeping and Rebekah was curled up on Elijah and Nik, snoring loudly and drooling. Making sure he didn't disturb their sleep, Kol pushed the bearskin off, stood up and spread it on his brothers and sister. A soft smile curled the corner of his lips up as he heard Henrik' sigh of relief.

He walked towards the fire. A large basin of tepid water was standing next to it. With his hands cupped, he collected some water and splashed it on his face. Feeling more alive than a moment before, he swallowed a mouthful and then washed his hands and forearms. Once done, he put his outer clothes on and left the house.

Cold air hit him hard in the face. Without moving, he let his magic embrace him in a warm cocoon and relaxed. It was already late at night. Though there were still some stars decorating the dark canvas between the Earth and one of the so-called gods' realms, Asgard, there were hints of orange on the horizon. Slaves were already working, handling the dirty work for their master.

Close to a fire, his parents were talking in a low voice while Sigr was dressing his mother's hair. Mikael had come back from his raid the day before with quite a lot of loot. Actually, Kol could hear the sniffles and terrified whimpers of the new slaves in the quiet of the night. New people with brown skin, dark hair and more generally an exotic appearance were bustling about the village, head down and a metal collar around the neck.

Victory over a savage tribe had his father in a good mood. For once, Nik only had to suffer barbs from the man. Nevertheless, Kol knew it was only a brief phase and his older brother would sooner than later have to bear new blows. Mikael could never stop hitting Nik for too long.

Just the thought of his brother's cries of pain left him with a bitter taste in his mouth.

His parents looked at him. As per usual, Mikael's face was impassive, impossible to decipher. His eyes seemed to sound him out and Kol couldn't help but shudder.

He hated their father.

Esther raised an eyebrow, "Kol? Already up?"

"Indeed Mother. Thought I would already start doing my chores for the day."

He grabbed the handle of an axe leaning against the wall of their home and began walking towards the tree line at the edge of the village.

His mother stopped him though, "Have you made any progress with your project, Kol?"

He knit his brow and turned around to face his parents.

"A project, son?" Mikael mocked before Kol could say anything, "And what are you trying to do?"

 _Tyring_ to do. No _doing_. No. The man didn't know a thing about his desire to make a golden rose for Rebekah and yet he already supposed Kol could only _try_. Not _succeed_. Sure, Kol still had a long ways to go before succeeding. He had yet to have a viable lead, though it wasn't for lack of trying. He just lacked time.

Still, Mikael thought he would end up failing.

Kol really, really, hated it. Just like he hated everything related to his father. Even though he would never dare to admit it aloud.

"Just a spell I'm trying to do," he replied, his teeth nearly grinding.

Irritation appeared on his father's face, breaking his emotionless appearance.

"Son, magic is women's work," Mikael said sharply, "It's time for you to grow up. Gods knew there are already enough rumors about how much time you spend on your back with legs spread apart!'

His mother gasped, "Mikael!"

Kol ignored her, just like he didn't pay any attention to his father's words. He already knew what was said about him in the village, thanks to Rebekah. His sister was always too happy to repeat him everything she heard. And frankly, he didn't care.

He rolled his eyes insolently, not even trying to hide from his parents. Nora's improper comportment must be rubbing off on him.

His grip on the axe handle tightened. He turned his back on them and walked away. And once again, his mother's voice stopped him, "Kol, you aim to change something in gold. A spell might not be what you need. A ritual and a golden item to be used as a conduit might be the answer you seek."

The idea wasn't bad, Kol decided. He would just have liked it better if it had come from him, not from his mother.

Oh well, he still had much to learn.

And to do. Wood wasn't going to cut itself alone. Besides, he intended to profit from his chores in the forest to go see Nora. Just to be sure she hadn't poisoned herself. Yet.

* * *

"Well, well, what do we have here?" he teased when he saw Nora on her hands and knees, trying to rekindle the fire by blowing on the ashes. Her long red hair was tangled, a sign she had just woken up. Her head and arms were sticking out of an animal hide in which she had clumsily cut three holes.

The woman jumped to her feet, panicked, and frantically scanned the area. Her face split into a smile when her eyes fell on him.

"Kol," she welcomed him, " _Good morning hon!_ "

He grinned, happy to see they had made some progress in their attempt to learn the language of the other. Most of her language was still a mystery to him, and vice versa, but he could now recognize some words. Such as _hon_ , which she often said to him. Or _damn it_ , when something annoyed her. Although, given her propensity to be especially improper, he wasn't sure he wanted to know the meaning of _damn it_.

"Good morning Nora," he greeted her back.

He approached the fire, took several branches he had brought there the day before and put them on the fire. He then put his hand over it and concentrated. Soon, flames sprang under his palm and licked the wood.

He tensed as Nora sat behind him and put her chin on his shoulder.

Even though he was getting used to her shameless actions, it didn't mean he felt comfortable. Far from it. He opened the mouth to ask her to step backwards, something he knew she could understand.

"Woah," she whispered before he could speak, "So _xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx_ "

He turned his head toward her and stared at her profile. Her eyes wide open and flames being reflected in them, she was gazing at the fire dreamily.

He blinked and could only stare at her next actions, mystified. Without changing her position, she tended her hand over the fire. Flames wrapped around her fingers and danced on her skin. She closed her fist, turned it over, palm facing the sky. Her fingers unfolded and the flames that once were intangible were now shaped as a young woman dressed in weird tight-fitting garment. It twirled and a long elegant dress appeared.

A new figure, male, arose from the fire. It bent its head before the female dancer and held out a hand. The female took it and a beautiful, graceful dance began. They turned, twirled, whirled. They blended into each other and became a fire vortex.

Kol was fascinated by the scene going on in front of his eyes. It was magnificent. Magical, even. Beauty in its purest form.

"How…?" he asked quietly, not daring to truly break the silence.

She shrugged and smiled. She didn't really know and it made sense, he guessed, as she hadn't been able to rekindle the fire.

Once the flames left her hand and went back to licking the wood, she abandoned his shoulder and sat by his side. Her arms and hands disappeared inside the cover she wore and she brought a few pieces of dried meat out. Without saying anything, she held out one to him and he took it. Ruth wouldn't finish making the morning meal before at least an hour.

He was chewing on his meat when Nora sighed loudly.

" _God_ ," she said with her nose srunched up, "I want real food!"

"Real food?" he inquired, smirking.

She truly came from an extremely rich family.

"Yes! Real food! Not berries and, " she showed her piece of meat, " _this_."

"It's squirrel."

She nodded and repeated after him, "squi-rrel."

"And what is 'real food'?" he asked without losing his smirk.

He shouldn't have asked, on second thought. The question had barely left his lips that Nora was vomiting a torrent of incomprehensible words. Food was apparently a subject she liked. Loved. A lot.

Seeing his confusion, she put her hand in the fire. It took different shapes, looking like what he guessed were dishes. And he recognize… nothing.

Absolutely nothing.

Truly. Nothing.

Nora's eyes became watery and despair took place on her face in front of the image of some weird horn from which rectangular bars came out.

"And… What is this?" he asked, chuckling.

" _French fries_ ," she replied miserably, "I want _fries_!"

"Is it that good?"

"God yes! You eat this one day!"

He tilted his head, "you mean you'll make me this one day?"

"Make you?" she murmured uncertainly, more for her than him, " _Right, make you._ I can try?"

The way she spoke was so hesitant that he couldn't help snorting. Right. She making dinner. He wouldn't be surprised if she had once burned water.

They continued talking the best they could and, before he realized, he had his hands in her hair, combing out the tangles and braiding the long strands of hair. The red curls were soft under his fingers and cascaded to her lower back like a waterfall. For once, he wasn't the only one uncomfortable. She was touching nervously her neckline and there were hints of red on the top of her shoulder blade.

Still, as soft as her hair was, it was also extremely tangled and he had to start again a few times to untangle some knots.

Once he had - at last - finished, Nora turned around quickly, her new braid almost hitting him. She kissed his cheeks and he was left spluttering and blushing.

"Thank you!" she said, beaming.

She stood up, twirled, and he watched, fondly, as the animal hide ridiculously swirled with her.

She was growing on him. A bit like a furuncle.

* * *

End of chapter 3 :) Not much going on, just Kol and Nora teaching each other their language, and some Kol's feeling about his family.

Historical fact (as far as my researches taught me, so if I'm wrong, Don't hesitate to tell me): About Mikael's remark to Kol, homosexuality wasn't actually seen that badly… FOR the "active" man. Sexual relations in the viking period weren't much about man and woman, but more about being the "active one", vs the "passive one". Men were meant to be warriors and "active", while women were thought as "passive". As such, the passive one in a homosexual relations was seen as shameful, sullied, etc. There is even a story dating from back then where a captive man is raped by several men, and only him is seen as being diminished and ashamed. All the same, magic was considered to be a women's work, and as women were passive… not something for men. So, I hoped it makes more sense about Mikael's remark if it wasn't before :)


	5. Chapter 4

**Chapter 4**

* * *

Kol wasn't worried. Not at all. Everything was fine. Perfectly fine. He was with his family in the tunnels below the village, in the part allocated to them. As in every full moon, all the villagers had taken refuge inside the underground maze so they would be protected from the ferocious beasts released from their flesh prison by the moon. The stone walls were echoing and he could hear the murmurs of parents trying to comfort their young children. Snatches of conversation were reaching his ears but he couldn't really understand what was being said.

No, Kol wasn't worried. He had no reason to be.

It wasn't as if Nora was outside, only protected by a magical barrier he had erected over the encampment, while the beast were running wild. Possibly trying to rip her apart, to feed off her.

Were they throwing themselves against the invisible wall? And, _damn it_ , would the barrier withstand them?

One of the beasts howled, the sound powerful and commanding, asking - no, ordering - for submission, and Kol's body tensed. He could almost feel the caves trembling as the beasts ran and pawed the ground.

Gods, he was worried.

He had known that day, or rather night, was coming, but he had hoped to find some miraculous idea so that Nora could infiltrate the caves with the other villagers. However, almost a month by her side had made him realize the young woman stood out too much from the others. Even without all her quirks, incompetence and improper behavior, there was something different within her, even though he couldn't for the life of him say what exactly it was.

Another idea had been to ask for help to someone trustworthy, outside of his family. Yet, the only people he mixed with and didn't consider complete idiots were Ayana, her daughter and Tatia. The first two would have felt Nora's wild magic and Tatia had a son he didn't want to put in danger. And that was without thaking into account that he would have needed to spend more time with the widow, something not only his parents would have disapproved but would have sent the wrong message to Eijah and Nik.

Also, he had delayed too long the search for a solution. Before he had realized it, the full moon was there. Obviously, he hadn't panicked. Not at all. Just… Been more agitated that usual.

It was Nora who had suggested to add a magical barrier to the spell cloaking her. The idea wasn't without merit but, even though he was reluctant to admit it, his magical knowledge simply wasn't enough for him to create such a spell. He doubted even Ayana or his mother could actually do such a thing. Otherwise, they wouldn't have to seek refuge inside the caves.

And yet, surprisingly, Nora had quite a good knowledge of magic, more than him and, shockingly, probably more than his mother and Ayana. She couldn't use it though and her explanations weren't always very clear. It was obvious that more of her knowledge came from observation rather than an in-depth study. Still, she knew her subject. Especially magical barriers. It was as if someone had taken the time to teach her about it until the words were forever rooted within her mind. This, in combination with his own practice of magic, had enabled him to erect a barrier over the little camp. The question was… Was it enough to protect her ?

He hoped. He truly did. Not that he cared for the woman so much that he couldn't imagine a life without her. Her magical knowledge just made quite a big difference. The red-haired woman wasn't only a mystery anymore but also source of knowledge. Sure, speaking was still rather difficult and he couldn't afford any mistakes while doing magic. Yet, they were getting better every day.

"Kol, look what I've found!" Henrik exclaimed suddenly. The youngest of the family was crouched in front of him, at the level of his face, his hands cupped. Thanks to the torches on the walls, Kol saw an earthworm in the tiny palms. "Nik told me that I will have two worms if I cut it in half!"

Henrik's smile was beautiful and oh so bright. Though he loved his family, Kol couldn't help but wonder how such a bright child, so innocent, was his brother. There were no shadow inside the boy, no will to harm even the ugliest creature. Only a thirst to discover the world, to learn, to laugh and live, to make the world a better place with just his grin. Years could come and go, and Kol would remain content with being in Henrik's presence.

Gently, he tapped Henrik's nose with the tip of his finger, "It's a good thing you came to me then. Cut it and you will kill it slowly."

Horror distorted the childish face and Henrik's blue eyes went wide. "I don't wan to kill it!" he cried.

"That I know pumpkin," Kol said. He then covered Henrik's hands with his and whispered, "can I tell you a secret?"

Henrik nodded frantically, to which Kol grinned before speaking with his voice still low, "you should never hurt another being to get what you want."

"I don't want to hurt someone!" his brother whimpered. All his body, so frail and unfit for a life of plundering and war, was shaking. Kol wanted to protect the child's candor, protect it from their father's cruelty. He feared for the day Henrik would look at the world with indifference or, worse, bloodlust. For the day fighting with swords like a barbarian would entice him. For all her childish traits, Rebekah had already some darkness inside her, just like all his other siblings. She hid it, but he had seen her play with their father's knives. Henrik though… Henrik was kind and warm. He was unaware of their father' violence, they had made sure of it. Nevertheless, ignorance could be harmful, and some lessons needed to be learn.

"Good. Then what should you do if you really want two worms?"

"Search for another one?"

"That's an idea," Kol smiled softly and brushed dirt off Henrik's face with his thumb, "what else?"

A small nose wrinkled and blue eyes looked down their hands where the worm was hidden. "I," Henrik said tentatively, "I should not use a living being for my own amusement."

Pride sprang through Kol and the small smile on his face bloomed into a full beaming grin. Tilting his head, he pinched one of the cheeks in front of him, "What a clever boy! Henrik, we'll make an erudite out of you."

"I don't want to be an erudite Kol!" Henrik complained.

"And what do you want to be pumpkin? You can be anything you want, as long as you work for it."

At his words, the youngest of the family's eyes gazed at him with wonderment. "Anything?" he breathed out.

"Anything," Kol whispered, his own eyes twinkling with delight.

"Then I'll find a way to fly brother! I'll explore the world and one day, I'll fly in the sky, just like a bird!"

"Flying? No less!" Kol chuckled, "and here I thought Rebekah was the family's little bird. Does it mean I've been wrong all my life?"

"You're Kol! You can never be wrong!"

If only, Kol pondered. Regardless, it was quite pleasant to hear that, even from his biased little brother. As much as he strove for the good, for the respect of every creature on earth, it only came from his love for nature, from his duty as a witch to preserve the balance. Should Nature asked for it, he would look and do nothing to stop a slaughter. Not do the slaughter himself, of course, he seriously doubted he could actually harm another being. But watch it nevertheless. Yes, even though he knew Nature wouldn't ask for something like this, it was still a possibility. A possibility he was aware of, ever since his interest in magic had manifested itself.

Removing his hand from Henrik's, he watched the small brown creature wriggling, wanting to be free from the palm holding it. For one second, the idea to put it on Rebekah's head lit up in his head, but he disregarded it easily. It wouldn't do much good, especially after his speech to Henrik. Ah, the difficult battle between what was right and what was entertaining. Sometimes, he wondered how he would be without his magic. The mere thought was slightly scaring, and not only because magic was everything to him.

Instead, he put a finger on his lips so that Henrik knew to stay silent and tended his free hand towards his sister. The blond girl was sitting by their mother's side, bored out of her mind. Obviously, the older woman was giving her one of her interesting - cough boring cough – lesson about how to act more ladylike. His magic filled the area, attracted the moisture in the air and gathered it above Rebekah's head.

A few thing then happened, one after another. First, water fell down his sister's hair and splashed his mother. Second, the older woman scowled at him while his sister let out an adorable screech. Three, he jumped to his feet, caught Henrik's hand, and ran away as Rebekah chased him, threatening to kill him.

"When I catch you I'll make you eat Nik's shoes!"

Well, dying would be better than _that_. Ugh.

"I'll drool on you!"

At least, his dear sister was an optimist, what with her use of _when_. As if she could actually catch him.

"And Elijah'll pee on you!"

Ah, he would just have to stick to Tatia like a leech then.

"Koooooooool!"

With a wicked smile, he turned left, tugging at Henrik at the same time, and they hid in a recess. They hold their breath. Rebekah's loud steps could be heard, getting closer to him every heartbeat. Kol could feel it pounding in his chest. Even his ears were pulsing.

Not seeing them, Rebekah passed in front of them and continued to run.

"She'll kill you with a spoon and feed you to the beasts," Henrik whispered, his cheeks red after running. He then stepped back and put the worm on the ground. For a second, Kol stared at the animal, puzzled. Somehow, he had forgotten it. It was a miracle it was still alive.

What was that word Nora used to describe some female hero? Ah yes, _Wonder Woman_. Clearly, they now had _Wonder_ Worm.

Breathing out, he leant against the wall. "She'll need to catch us first."

"You," Henrik replied smartly, "she'll need to catch you."

Kol raised an eyebrow and smirked, "But Henrik, my sweet brother, I was merely doing what you asked me to."

"What, it's not true!"

"Rebekah doesn't know that," he quipped.

His brother was going to say something when someone came. Kol quickly put his hand on Henrik's mouth and looked discreetly outside the recess. Not that he was afraid of Rebekah.

But it wasn't Rebekah. Much to his surprise, it was Tatia and Leif. Eyes red and puffy, with dark rings under them, the woman was hugging the confused boy. It was almost painful to watch, how she tried to hold it together.

"Tatia?" Nik's voice suddenly rang out. It was soon followed by the body the voice belonged to.

Nik walked to the woman and from where he was, Kol saw her face crumble. She was hurting, breaking apart right in front of them.

"Tatia, what's wrong?" Nik asked softly, his thumb wiping her tears.

"Oh Niklaus," she cried and buried her head in his shoulder, "everything, everything is wrong."

Leif, not understanding what was going on, only gripped his mother's dress.

Kol watched them walk away, bewildered. Something had happened.

* * *

The morning after, Kol left the caves as soon as the first rays of light appeared on the horizon. Colors tinted the sky, orange and red coming alive, as if Asgard, above, was on fire. There were no stars anymore. No moon, no howls, no beasts snarling. Nature was in peace once again and, as Kol headed towards the forest, birds could be heard, chirping.

He stepped over a large branch. Dry leaves rustled under his feet. Twigs cracked. The Earth was singing and despite being anxious to see Nora, Kol couldn't help but take in the scenery. Like every time he walked into the forest.

He paused when he came upon one of his snare. Surprisingly, a rabbit still alive was trapped, not eaten by the beasts during the night. He knelt down. "Thank you. Find peace," he murmured before snapping its neck. Hopefully, Nora would like it. If not, he would have a new lesson on what _good food_ was. As well as a rant on how _delicious_ _French fries_ were. And one on _pancake_. And _peanuts_. And several other weird food he had never heard about.

The rabbit tied to his waist, he was going to walk again when a twig cracked somewhere on his left. Tense, afraid there were still a beast roaming the forest, he grabbed his knife and turned.

It wasn't a beast.

It was a familiar face, one he had seen in the caves with his brother and her son. She looked surprised to see him and now that he had her in front of him, he could clearly see the despair in her eyes. She tried to keep her face calm, and if he hadn't witnessed her falling apart the night before, he wouldn't have doubted her front. Now, on the other hand, he could see the cracks on her armor.

"Kol," she spoke in a low voice, "I didn't expect to see you here at this hour of the day."

He shrugged. "And I, you," he replied and politely added a few second later, "my lady."

The cracks got bigger as her face became distorted, "I'm no lady."

How odd. It wasn't the first time he called her that and never had she told him such a thing. "And who decided that, if I may ask?"

She wrapped her arms around her middle and shivered, "everyone."

Ah everyone. The famous 'everyone'. He snorted. It hardly explained anything at all. "I must say, I do not know this 'everyone'. A friend of you my lady?"

She didn't laugh, nor did she wave away his comment. Her lips simply tugged into a frown and, once again, the cracks got bigger. And bigger. Despair was pouring out of her and he wasn't sure what to do about it. "Please, do not make a joke of this. I-" her voice broke, "I know what is said about me."

He hesitated. While Tatia was one of the only people he talked to in the village, they weren't close. Which was expected, as he was obviously a man and she, a woman. It was hardly his place to comfort her. Of course, he knew what she meant. It was no secret Tatia was a scorned woman. Women despised her and men, while finding her beautiful and willing to bed her, held her in contempt. For refusing to be burned alive, for wanting more to life.

His brothers would be so much better at this. They loved the woman, and if Nik hadn't succeeded in comforting her, surely Elijah could. Right?

And yet, he found himself stepping forward. "What is wrong my l-, Tatia?"

The cracks weren't cracks anymore. They were holes, craters, and the brunette woman choked and sobbed, "it's Leif. He's gone. He's gone. Oh gods, he's gone."

He touched her shoulder and squeezed. It didn't help. She barely seemed to realize he was there. She was lost in her world, repeating 'he's gone' again and again in her broken voice. She wasn't the proud woman he knew but a shell. An shell full of darkness, hopelessness and sorrow. Dismissing his good manners, he embraced her tightly, ignoring his own discomfort. He had done that for Nora, a woman he had known for less than a month. Surely he could do it for his likely future sister-in-law - well, that was, if Elijah were to become more courageous.

She grasped his clothes and cried, "he's gone."

He didn't understand. How was Leif gone? He had seen him the day before. "How?"

"Vémundr's parents," her late husband's parents "they came and told me… They told me they were l- oh gods I can't do it… I can't!"

"What did they say?" he insisted.

"They're… They're leaving. They're going North to take a boat and go back to the old world. Leif… My baby boy… They're taking him with them."

"And you?"

"They don't want me," she sobbed hysterically, "they don't want me near my Leif ever again. Gods, what am I supposed to do? I can't… I can't do this. I can't. He's gone and I can't…"

She struggled to breathe and he rubbed her back. Rebekah used to have nightmare when she was younger. Sometimes, he would hold her and rub her back while murmuring some stories. It used to work. But then again, Tatia wasn't a child, and her nightmare was very real. She should have expected it, of course, but it didn't hurt any less.

"They said I was a bad mother," she continued to cry, "living with me would make him worthless, without honor. Am I so wrong? Was it so wrong of me to not want to die along Vémundr? To want more to life than just being his wife? To want to see my child grow up? Kol, please tell me, was it such a sin? Does it truly make me a whore? A pariah in my village? A bad mother?"

He gave her a penetrating look and released her from his arms. "No Tatia, it doesn't. If anything, it makes you a strong person. One I'm proud to know. I can't understand what is means to be a woman or a mother Tatia, but Nature creates us equal. Only half-wits remain unaware of this. Sadly, most people here are simpletons. Leif would have grown up a strong man with you by his side, but he would also have had to suffer the idiocy of our people. With Vémundr's parents, you have to believe he will have an easier life."

"But… I'm his mother. What if he thinks I've left him? What if he hate me? And… Easier doesn't mean it's for the best."

"No," he said softly, "it doesn't. And yes, he might think you left him. Just like he might think you are a whore because of Vémundr's parents. But you cannot live believing that. You need to believe he will have a beautiful life. Away from you, but beautiful nonetheless."

She wiped away her tears, her hands shaking as she did. As the tears disappeared, the proud Tatia seemed to reappear, at least a little bit. She still wasn't well, nor will she be in the near future, but he knew one day she will be. With his brothers' help, hopefully.

"You're not very good at this comforting thing," she said feebly.

"Never said I was," he chuckled before stepping back.

Maybe he could… It could go wrong, but it could also help her, and him in a way. What a dilemma. Could he trust her to not say a word to anyone about Nora?

He cleared his throat. Startled by the sudden sound, Tatia raised her head quickly and looked at him.

"If I were to show you something, could you keep it secret? Even from my brothers?"

Wide-open eyes were his first answer before she rubbed her arms and looked everywhere but him. What a strange reaction. She began to pace the ground and blurted, "Kol, thank you for helping me and please, don't be offended, but I do not see you like that."

His eyebrows went up. Did she really think he wanted to have his way with her? The mere idea was disgusting and he couldn't help but scrunch up his nose. "Please," he deadpanned, "refrain yourself from having such disgusting beliefs."

Red bloomed on her cheeks and she shifted her hair behind her ear. "My apologies, I didn't mean-"

"It's quite alright," he cut her off, "just don't start again."

She nodded and seeing as she had no desire to answer his first question, he shrugged and began to walk away. His future sister-in-law wasn't in tears anymore, his job was done. Now, it was time to see if his magic had done its job and protected Nora all the night. What if, because of him, she was dead? She would have died alone. Completely alone. He was the only person she knew here, and most of her time was spent alone as he had chores to do. Though she didn't say anything, Kol knew she felt sad sometimes. He could see it every time he came to her, actually. She would stare off into the distance, seeing something he didn't, until he show himself. Only then a smile would appear on her face, making her warm blue eyes sparkle with happiness.

"Kol, wait!" Tatia shouted as she ran to him, bushes and branches catching her dress. "I'm really sorry, I know your only love is magic. To answer your question, yes I can keep your secret. Even from Elijah and Niklaus."

He stared at her, taking in her earnest expression and the honesty in her eyes. Silence filled the area and she began to squirm under his stare, obviously uncomfortable. "Can you? Really?" he asked doubtful. His first idea to ask her that now seemed a bit foolish, even though it would make Nora less lonely. If words about her were to reach Mikael's ears, he wasn't sure he would be able to protect her. "If you have any intend to lie, I suggest you forget I ever ask you anything and go back to the village. Or I will make your life a living hell… my lady."

She merely rolled her eyes and passed in front of him, hands on her hips, "Kol, the worst thing you have ever done is splashing horse dung to that boy who tried to kiss Rebekah."

"And he's dead."

"By your father's hand, not yours."

Oh well, he didn't have time to debate on such a trivial subject. The boy should have known better than to try to force himself on Rebekah.

"Now, lead the way," she said in a commanding tone, her chin raised.

His lips twitched in amusement and he replied in a cheeky tone, slightly leaning down, an arm stretched out in front of him, "As you wish my lady."

He didn't bother to help her step over branches and headed to the camp as fast as he could. He had already taken too much time, and there was no point anymore in delaying the inevitable. What ever had happened during the night, he wouldn't be able to change anything.

* * *

End of chapter 4 :)

Thanks to anyone who have followed/favorited this fic! Same for the Guest review, really, thank you :)


	6. Chapter 5

**Chapter 5**

* * *

The barrier was still there, the magic pulsing strongly against the tips of Kol's fingers. It welcomed him, filled him with warmth, and nerves Kol hadn't known he had suddenly relaxed. A grin chased across his lips, pride and relief surging inside him. It left him exhilarated, making it difficult to hold back his laughter as he pressed his palms against the barrier.

He did it! It had withstood the beasts! Oh, the possibilities it gave him for the future. A future in which his family wouldn't have to hide in the caves to be protected from the beasts. A future in which he would be able to protect his siblings from their father. Such a glorious prospect at his fingertips. Of course, he would need to train before such a thing could happen, but he could now see a bright future.

Tatia fought back against a bush to retrieve the part of her long dress it had caught, the action nearly sending her to the ground. She then moved a branch aside, lowered her head to avoid a bigger one and came to his side. She glanced around, her doe brown eyes fluttering around, left to right and back again. It was obvious she was puzzled as her eyes were squinting to see whatever it was he was looking at.

"So," she stated after a few seconds, slightly piqued, "you brought me here to see… nothing?"

Kol clicked his tongue, lifted his chin and looked down on her condescendingly, even though his grin had yet to disappear from his face. "So much faith," he teased her.

"There isn't much to have faith in right now," Tatia said dryly as she frowned at him, tears filling her eyes once again.

His grin faltered but didn't disappear. Though it sounded harsh, even to his ears, nothing could be done for Leif. The sweet child was already on his way to their People's homeland, far across the ocean. The journey wasn't without difficulty and took several months. All Tatia could do now was pray for Leif's safety.

He would, too, pray Nature for the child's safe journey. Maybe even ask Nora if she knew some spell to insure his survival.

"And yet, no matter how dark the night is, the sun never fails to rise in the morning. Here's one thing you can put your faith in."

"In the sun raising?" she asked dubiously.

"No," he chuckled, "in a new day. A new tomorrow."

"Tell that to the ghosts of the dead," Tatia countered, a nerve in her cheek twitching.

"Ah but that's the thing my Lady. There's always a new tomorrow. Whether you are there to see it or not, that's another question." He held out a hand to her, "now, take my hand and don't let go."

She stared at the outstretched hand, indecisive and well aware that his comportment was quite questionable. He had already broken several unwritten rules on propriety since his awakening. Although it had stemmed from good intentions, taking the woman in his arms to comfort her had been far from proper. And here he was, asking her to take his hand and trust him. Still, she took the offered limb, albeit hesitantly.

With his free hand, he pushed against the barrier, his magic crashing against it. It rippled. His blood sang with power, his whole being tingled. Seconds passed and he hummed when he felt the barrier allowing him - them - to cross it. His face split into a wide smile and his eyes twinkling, he tugged at Tatia and passed through the barrier.

Tatia gasped. The empty space that had been before them was now a true camp, with a hut and day-to-day objects lying on the ground, barely protected from the elements. It was a good thing the weather, though colder, had been rather clement regarding the rain for the last month. The fire was out, a cold smoke still coming out from the ashes. Curled up on the ground with her body facing the fire, Nora was sleeping soundly despite the cold. The animal hide she was wrapped up in didn't seem to do a good job at protecting her from it though. Even from where he stood, Kol could see her shiver.

He released his hold on Tatia and crossed the distance between him and Nora.

"Who's this?" Tatia asked, bewildered, not moving from her spot.

"Nora," Kol answered simply as he scooped up the red-haired woman to carry her inside the hut.

"And who's Nora?"

"Just an," he searched for the right word though he was more interested in the woman in his arms than in the conversation, "acquaintance." It wasn't really the right term but, well, it would do for now. There were more important things to worry about.

Such as the dark rings under Nora's eyes and teeth marks on her lips. Her fingers, gripping tightly the hide, was adorned with bitten nails. Obviously, the barrier didn't block the sound. Her night had probably been spent in the dark, hearing the beasts howling, snarling and tearing apart some unfortunate animals. Had she been scared?

His arms tightened around her, bringing her body even closer to his. Still asleep, she buried her face in the crook of his neck. Her breathing brushed against his skin and he couldn't help but shiver, his skin feeling hot and his heart pounding.

She sighed his name, as if she knew he was the one holding her. As soon as the word left her lips, his face warmed and reddened. A little more and he would be able to cook meat on his cheeks.

Tatia arched a brow, a hand on one hip. "Some 'acquaintance'? Really?" she drawled, amused, her annoyance and sadness temporarily disappearing. "Is that how they call it nowadays?"

Instinctively - or stupidly some would say – he dropped Nora and spluttered some nonsense to Tatia. The redhead landed on the ground harshly and the fall was immediately followed by her waking up and yelling.

" _Ow! Damn it! Kol! You xxxxxx asshole! What's wrong with you? xxxxxxx Go xxxxxxx yourself! Xxxxxxxxxx! Were you dropped on your head as a child? Smacked upside the head xxxxxxxx?_ " she shouted out in pain, a wince on her face and one hand rubbing her backside.

It was a good thing Tatia couldn't understand a word of Nora's rant, Kol decided. Despite not understanding every words, it wasn't hard to guess what they meant. Her vocabulary could be quite…colorful. And… spirited. Even with a hand on her buttocks, she was now pacing in front of him, furious.

Embarrassed, Kol scratched his head and coughed, trying to get her attention. She turned on her heels, glaring, and he raised his hands above his head in an effort to calm the irate woman. He opened his mouth to say something - anything, really – but Nora suddenly blinked and stopped yelling. She looked at him with confused eyes for a few seconds before she shook her head, dismayed.

" _That's right, I'm here,_ " she muttered, more to herself than to him. She tilted her head and battled her eyelashes innocently, as if she hadn't been yelling just a moment ago, "sorry Kol, I forgot where I am and thought you were _someone_ else. Forgive me, please?"

He didn't point out her use of his name nor did he admit to having dropped her. He rather liked being in one piece and wasn't really looking forward to being maimed. Life was just easier with two legs and two arms in this day and age. Hoping to change the subject astutely, he looked at her, up and down, taking in her tired face and her still shivering body, and asked her how she felt. Even as he asked her the question, he couldn't help but step forward and rub her arms to warm her.

Her lips tilted upwards in a gentle smile and her answer came with a wistful voice, "I'm good, _hon_. Just not used to be so close to _werewolves_ alone."

" _Werewolves_?" he repeated, the word feeling odd in his mouth.

She nodded, "the beasts. Where I- _I am from_ , they are called _werewolves_. Cursed people, bound to the moon, and not all _innocent_ – without faults. Before you ask _hon_ , I have no _idea_ how the curse _came to be_."

It was really a wonder how Nora knew him that well. And slightly scaring.

And a curse, how interesting. Like many people in the village - if not all -, he had always thought the human appearance of the beasts was some disguise, their true selves being revealed by the full moon. Of course, he had no reason to blindly believe Nora, but then again, he had no reason to not to. On the other hand, if it was truly a curse, many variables had to be taken into account. The beasts had lived on those lands for a very long time according to Ayana. So, even if it was a curse, the beast it anchored inside them was surely rooted so deep that it really was a part of their true selves. And if that was the case, then he doubted he could ever 'fix' them and calling them human would be wrong. They simply wasn't. Or were they?

"I know that face," Nora said, looking at him knowingly, and pinched his left cheek. She stretched the skin under her fingers a bit, laughter now in her eyes and grinned when he flicked her forehead.

"Do you, now?" he said when she released his face, a chuckle in his voice as he had absolutely no doubts that, indeed, she knew. Somehow, he was an open book to her and, although it should bother him, it didn't anymore. Or more exactly, it had stopped bothering him at some point.

" _Damn_ , of course I do! I can _almost_ hear you thinking! _Hell_ , people in _China_ are probably hearing you!"

"And what is it that I am thinking so loud?" he asked, dismissing the _China_ comment, especially as he had no idea what a China was - or where it was. Knowing her, it could be food, though it was a wonder how food could hear him. Well, animal could and some ended up being food, but well… that was another question.

" _To_ _stick_ … To put ?... your pretty nose in _werewolves_ ' business! Which is a big _no-no_! I like you in one piece."

"I like me in one piece too," he replied wittily, purposely ignoring the blush creeping over his face, "and my nose is really pretty. Though I would prefer 'manly handsome' my Lady."

" _Honey_ , it is _just_ a nose, not your _dick_ ," she deadpanned and, seeing his confusion, added with a smirk, "the 'manly handsome' thing between your legs."

Gods. He stammered, unable to say anything coherent. Please, she didn't say that. She couldn't have said that, right? Like, he knew she cursed worse than warriors but surely there was a limit? Some boundary she wouldn't cross? Right? What kind of upbringing did rich families give to their children in the old world?

A choked sound resounded behind him and he was suddenly reminded of Tatia's presence. He had completely forgotten her. Not that the woman had tried very hard to remind him.

Nora turned her head swiftly towards Tatia. Her eyes widened and she took a step away from him. Straightening her spine, she folded her hands in front of her, her face void of any feelings. She looked every bit a very well-mannered daughter of a rich family, holding herself with pride and dignity. All the while, dressed like a barbarian. "My apologies, I was _unaware…_ I didn't know you were here. _May I_ \- Can I ask who you are?" she asked Tatia politely, as if she hadn't been swearing just a minute ago.

Kol could almost feel her awkwardness at having to act so… unlike her. Almost, however, because her outward appearance showed no signs of her embarrassment. Tatia, on the other hand, was wearing a bright red on her shocked face. Still, she nodded at Nora and said quietly, "you can."

Kol lifted a brow at Tatia's answer, unsure if Nora had broken the brunette or if she was trying to be witty. The two women stared at each other, which didn't help the awkwardness. He didn't even dare to move or speak while they were both immobile.

Finally, Nora lose their staring contest and looked away, squirming and muttering something about some _professional quirks._ "Who are you," she glanced at him, her brow furrowed, and added tentatively, "my lady?"

"My name is Tatia Raadgeisdóttir, widow of the late Vémundr Leidolvson. You may call me by my first name. And you are… Nora?"

Nora took a minute to process the information, her lips pursed as she tried to understand what Tatia said. From their previous conversations, Kol knew Tatia had lost Nora when she introduced herself with her full name, the redhead being unable to understand them for what they were - simple names, and not actual words. He was also pretty sure she had no idea what a widow were and what it had to do with being late, a word she understood.

" _She's Tatia_ ," he explained, "the rest doesn't matter. _It can wait until a…_ later, how do you say that? Right, _later. It can wait until a later time._ "

" _Thank you hon,_ " Nora tried to whisper, " _she totally lost me with all her aaaadageis-undr-thingamajig. I thought she wanted a drink._ "

His lips twitched as he tried to resist the urge to smirk and ruffle her hair. She was still trying to act like a proper woman but her lack of comprehension made it difficult. Over the last month, Kol had learned to expect some reaction from her when she began to feel frustrated. The way her nails were now digging into her skin told him she was trying to resist some urge too. Such as, the urge to pull her hair out.

"I don't know what language you both are speaking, but could you please stop? I don't understand a word," Tatia said wryly. Kol opened his mouth to explain Nora's foreign origin and different native language but Tatia cut him off, "and Kol, why have you brought me here? I might be called a whore in the village, but I have no desire to see you two having intercourse on the ground. Nor do I want to participate in one with the two of you."

A strangle sound left his lips and, not for the first time since the beginning of the day, he spluttered, his face red.

"And that Nora," Tatia concluded smartly, "is how you make Kol Mikaelson squirm without cursing or speaking of things that really shouldn't be spoken publicly."

* * *

Hours later, the sun was setting, coloring the sky with spots of orange, pink and light red. Crickets were chirping in the longer grass and if someone were to stop and listen to the Earth, they would hear owls hooting. Though it had been windy all the day, it had stopped not long after the sun had reached the horizon, leaving only a gentle breeze to sweep through the lands. It was quiet. After a night spent hiding in caves and hearing the beasts howling, people had retreated to their home earlier than usual.

In the peaceful quietness, Kol left the forest with a golden rose in one hand and headed home, hoping to find Rebekah along the way. Earlier in the morning, he had explained Nora's situation to Tatia and insisted on the need to keep it from his brothers. From everyone, actually. When she learned that Nora was only learning their language, she agreed, even going so far as to say that she would help her.

Although Kol knew Tatia was inherently kind, he was also aware that she hadn't offered her help selflessly. No matter how many times she joked around and smiled, sadness wasn't going to leave her eyes any time soon. Helping Nora gave her the chance to take her mind off Leif's departure.

When he left them to go to the field and do his chores for the day, he had thought Tatia was going to leave and work too. Therefore, he was quite surprised at learning she didn't when he came back in the evening, once his chores were done. Unexpectedly, the two women had spent the whole day together. Even with him back to the little camp, Tatia had stayed.

And so, Kol took advantage of that shamelessly and while Nora was showing her skill with fire to an amazed Tatia, he worked on his ritual for Rebekah. While he was raking up the field, his mother had come and gave him a golden pendant so he could use it as a conduit. It took him a few hours but he did it.

He passed the last trees and walked along the trail leading to the village. Every now and then, his gaze fell on the golden flower. Its petals were now stuck forever in their position, frozen in time, the gold glinting with every ray of light.

His magic was depleted. He was exhausted and his muscles were sore and aching. Still, he was happy. And proud. So _damn_ proud. Today had been good for his ego, he mused. First, the barrier. Yes, he still had to work on it, to make it easier and faster to erect, but still… And now the golden rose.

He was near the village. He could actually see the ugly arch indicating the entrance. And just there, on the flower field besides it, sleeping under a lone tree, Rebekah was there. Henrik was watching over her even though he was beginning to fall asleep too.

Kol's face creased into a gentle smile, two dimples appearing just below his cheeks. He walked over to the tree and, before Henrik could speak, put a finger on his mouth.

"Just another secret, between you and I," he whispered. He waited for Henrik's nod and said, "siblings always look out for each other." With that said, he placed the eternal flower on Rebekah's knees. He then winked and climbed the tree. He got up as high as possible so he could be invisible for whoever was on the ground. He rested his back on the trunk. He would not leave before Rebekah and Henrik were back to the village.

* * *

End of chapter 5! Next chapter, we'll be one or two years later, in 1000, a year before they become vampires.


	7. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

* * *

 **1000 A. D.**

Leaning against the trunk of an oak tree, Kol was chewing on a piece of straw absently. He was at the edge of the village and even from there he could see the agitation as people were running around like headless chickens. Men were trying to build a gigantic fire before the night came and women were making sure there was enough food to honor the goddess Frigga. Of course, a pig had already been chosen earlier by the Heads of families to be sacrificed when the moon hit its apex but it didn't stop the villagers from trying to win the favors of the queen of Asgard, wife of the god Odin.

The straw broke inside his mouth and he spat the pieces, slightly grimacing when one piece stuck to his tongue. He quickly glanced around to make sure nobody was looking at him and opened his mouth to remove it. Not that he truly cared if someone actually saw him. Unless the person was Rebekah, as she would have never let it go. And Henrik, because he rather liked his little brother thinking he was flawless.

Once he had dropped the offensive piece of straw on the ground, he ran a hand through his hair and sighed. Tatia and Nora were taking too much time. The brunette had insisted on helping Nora to dress and dye her hair so she could infiltrate the celebration. All the people were to wear a mask, so one more woman wouldn't be obvious. Especially when alcohol would make it difficult to count. Or to be aware of what was going on. Honestly, Kol had no doubt that by the end of the night, married women would be fulfilling their conjugal duty and pleasing their husbands to 'honor' the goddess of fertility while the rest of the village continued the celebration until dawn.

It wasn't the first time Nora sneaked into the village, nor would it be the last. And each time Tatia had offered her help to disguise their common friend, the two women had taken a very long time to get ready. Usually, it didn't bother him. Much. But Nora had only been back from her last travel - wanderings, really - for three days and he hadn't been able to spend much time with her.

She wasn't often away but when she was, she could be gone for a week or two, days spent exploring the lands with only a sword fastened to her hips. He had given her the weapon after sparing with her and making sure she could use it to defend herself. To his surprise, she could. Actually, he would even go so far as to say she was a quite good swordswoman. It didn't mean he liked having her away and alone, though. Especially when she still had difficulty to differentiate edible fruits from inedible ones.

More than once, he had wished he could go with her. Yet, he was stuck here as he couldn't leave his family unprotected. No matter how much he cared for the redhead, his family would always come first. Always. It was necessary, now more than ever, that he stayed in the village as just a month ago, Mikael had been a heartbeat away from killing Nik. Four inches left and his older brother would be dead. Even now, a whole month later, it was hard to realize he had been this close to lose his brother. He could barely sleep now. Most night was spent listening to his family breathing. His siblings, to be sure they were alive. His parents, to be sure Mikael wasn't awake, trying to kill Nik.

He was tired. So _damn_ tired. And stressed. And so ready to leave that damn house and village. He just had to wait for Henrik to be old enough - and strong enough - to travel. He would ask his siblings to leave then, to find a new home, away from Mikael. They would never be afraid of the man again, he vowed. He would kill him himself if he had to, if it came to that. His magic would tear the man apart and his siblings would stop fearing the monster wearing their father's face.

A cracking noise startled him and Kol snapped his head to the side to look at where the sound had come from. There, a sneer distorted his face, Mikael stood. Was the man real? Kol thought about him for two minutes and he just appeared? Really? Couldn't Nora and Tatia do the same? He wouldn't be waiting then.

"Kol," his father called out to him harshly, "Don't you have something better to do than lurking in the dark?"

There was twists in his stomach as he looked directly into the blond man's cold hard eyes. There was no room for love, even for his own family, in the hardened heart of their father.

"Boy, do you need me to repeat my question?" Mikael asked, stepping forward, the sun going down in the background casting shadows over him, making him more threatening than he already was.

"No," Kol said hastily, even as his left hand trembled. He clenched his fist, his nail digging into his skin. He wasn't scared. Not anymore. He was a powerful witch, perfectly able to defend himself and his siblings against Mikael.

That was right. He wasn't a little boy anymore. He was a powerful witch.

A hand on the oak tree, he felt Nature' power hidden beneath the bark, flowing through it to make his own blood sing. He raised the strength of the Earth as his own armor and sword while his father remained unaware of the power around him.

"No," he repeated, his voice steady, even confident, and a humorless smile flickered about the corners of his mouth, "I have heard you the first time Father. It is, after all, quite hard to miss your caring voice and loving words."

"Careful boy, it is not too late to teach you some respect. Now, I won't ask again. What are you doing here hiding like a whore?"

His smile broadened as he stared at the man with a steely gaze. "Why Father, do you speak from experience?" The magic around him fizzled in response to his anger. No, not his anger. His fury. His hand was still shaking, but it wasn't from fear anymore. Maybe… Maybe if he hadn't been thinking of the man before, he wouldn't be that angry. Maybe he would have been just scared. Or, at least, less insolent. He didn't know, and frankly he didn't care. It was the first time, after all, that he was alone with Mikael since he almost killed Nik.

"How dare you?!" Mikael snarled. He tried to slap him hard but Kol raised his fist and squeezed. The magic in the air pressed against his father, hot and cold, furious and wild. It pushed the man down, made his blood heat. He fell to the ground, hands on his temples and his nose bleeding.

They were far enough that no one paid attention to them.

"No," Kol snapped, "How dare **you**?! How dare you come and treat me like dirt?! How dare you scare us?! How dare you try to kill my brother?! You speak of strength but the truth, Father," he spat the word, disgusted, "is that you are weak! You are weak-minded! You pride yourself on the strength of your body but your mind is weak and you know it. You prey on Nik to feel stronger but the thing is, you will never be. You will always be a coward and a monster, only finding joy in hurting other people. People more vulnerable than you."

He clenched his fist tighter and relished in the cry of pain that slipped from his father's lips. That was what power was, Kol inwardly mused. Having the man he hated on his knees, crying from pain. For once, Mikael wasn't the one causing pain but the one bleeding.

And it disgusted Kol too, how it pleased him to see his father like that. Nature was there to help him, its power running through his very blood and hurting the blond man in a way he had probably never been before. For what could a man with only a sword do when facing such power? Steel couldn't help against Nature. Nothing truly could.

Once, Henrik had told him Kol could not be wrong. What would he say if he were to see him now? There was such a thin line between good and evil and contrary to his little brother, Kol wasn't void of darkness. It was there, deep down inside himself. It was there, no matter how much Kol strove for being good.

He stopped, one hand leaving the tree and the other opening, bloody nail marks on his skin.

"Hurt Nik again," he said softly, "and I will kill you."

"Are you…Are you threatening me Kol?" Mikael panted, wariness in his eyes.

"Of course no Father," he denied, his smile back on his face, "it is a promise." He crouched in front of his father, elbow on his knees, and his head tilted to the side. He almost missed it, but a shudder ran through the man before him. "And because I am such a good 'boy' Father, here is another promise. The day our house ceases to be the roof sheltering me from the cold of the night and the Gods' whims, the day the doors of the village see my back for the last time, it will also be the last day you ever see me. Until then, I suggest you stay far, far away from Nik." He stood up and added, "or any one of us, for that matter."

He turned and made to leave. He was going to find Nora and Tatia. He couldn't stay here any longer, not with Mikael on his knees. He needed to put some distance between them. Nothing good ever came from being close to the man and it was becoming harder to resist the temptation to hurt him more. To make him bleed until he begged him to stop, just like the man loved doing to Nik. He didn't want to be that man. Should he kill Mikael, it would be to protect his siblings, not to stroke his own ego. Not to prove himself a powerful witch.

Mikael's voice stopped him, "do you truly believe Niklaus is worthy of your devotion? Do you really think he would do for you what you do for him?"

He didn't look back. "Of course. He is my brother."

There was no point in trying to make him doubt Nik. Nik was his brother. One of his five siblings, the only people in the world Kol knew would always have his back. Well, Finn, he wasn't sure, but Elijah, Nik, Rebekah and Henrik? They were his world. He would protect them, always, and he knew they would do the same. They would always look out for each other. Though they did not share his love for magic or even understood it, they cared for him in a way nobody did. It was an unbreakable bond, the only thing in the world he fully trusted.

"Mark my words Kol. Continue to put your siblings on a pedestal, and you will find yourself alone. Before you realize it, they will have left you."

He shook his head and left. Mikael was a fool. Trying to reason with him was pointless.

* * *

People were dancing beneath the stars. A mask hiding their face, they were twirling and laughing around a big fire. Even with most of her face hidden, Tatia was easily recognizable. Her smile was bright and her long dark hair was twirling with her. Men wanted her and women wanted to be her, to be the one looked at. Nik and Elijah weren't any different, both captivated by her.

And yet, Kol couldn't see her appeal. Couldn't even really see her, actually, for his eyes were glued on Nora. She was twirling too. Her laugh was louder than anyone else and most people were looking at her with amusement. Some women were a bit affronted at how loud she was, but she didn't care and neither did he.

Her hair appeared to be a dark brown and he found himself missing the red, especially as the red rose he had once enchanted for her was adorning her hair. She was radiant. Every time she danced close to the fire, the flames would be brighter and ready to embrace her in their warmth. Every now and then, she would look at him and smile broadly, silently asking him to join her. He didn't though, happy to look at her. Seeing her like this almost made him forget his altercation with Mikael.

"One could wonder who is the lucky, or unlucky, woman you are staring at, brother," Elijah suddenly said while laying a land on his shoulder.

He took his eyes off Nora and glanced at his older brother, a smirk stretching his lips, "They could, but it doesn't mean they would get the answer."

"Even your own brother?"

"If you must know, I was wondering who have the worst luck. The pig fated to be sacrificed, the goddess Frigga who will have to oversee the coupling of many people tonight, or all the people whose toes Nik has stepped on while trying to dance."

Elijah's face split into a wide open grin when he heard his reply and he nodded, "What a dilemma! Though I must say, Henrik isn't doing any better than Niklaus. I expect at least one person blind in one eye by the end of the night, should he continue to move his elbows in such a way."

Kol burst out laughing, "Too true, brother!" He wiped a tear in the corner of his eye and added after he caught his breath, "Although, please, do not forget it is the first celebration he attends. Besides, an event like this would be less attractive without its fair share of injuries, don't you think?"

"It would, if we weren't a part of the said celebration."

"Please, Henrik's elbows could never reach your face. Nor Nik's, his head is far too high in the sky for that."

Elijah shook his head with a fond expression on his face, "well, there are other parts of my body Henrik could reach, parts I am rather attached to."

"I see you don't deny anything about Nik." Kol's grin faded and he cast a worried glance at his brother, "Are you still upset with him about Tatia?"

Pain twisted Elijah's features as he turned his head to stare wistfully at the woman. Beautiful, dancing as if she had nothing to worry, with Nik holding her hand and smiling broadly. As if they were as free as the wind. Sometimes, Kol wondered when his friend became a master at hiding the ache in her heart in front of the others. How many people knew of the pain her smile hid? Did they even remember Leif?

"I have no right to be upset with him," Elijah murmured sadly, "their love for each other is obvious."

Kol couldn't help but snort. "Please, refrain yourself from drawing hasty conclusions," he deadpanned, "I love Nik, he's my brother and I want him to be happy. Yet, I doubt his happiness lies with our dear Tatia." His gaze briefly went to Nora who had stopped dancing and was staring at him with her brow furrowed. "She cares for Nik, of that I am sure, but love?"

"She's fated to love him, Kol. I… just have to accept it."

" _Damn it_ Elijah!" Kol snapped, "she's not fated to anything. Before you decide what is good for her, maybe you should speak with her. She's a woman for Gods' sake, not some simpleton unable to make her own decisions."

With that said, he left his brother, well aware that the latter was confused by both his remark and his use of another language - not that Elijah knew that, but he would prefer not having to explain himself.

He headed towards the forest and stopped at the first tree he met. His back facing the village, he closed his eyes and began to count to ten.

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven.

A hand touched his shoulder and he grinned. " _You're late Darling_ ," he said without looking back.

" _Is that so hon? I didn't know I have to follow you everywhere like a sweet little puppy_ ," Nora replied sarcastically.

He turned around and flicked her forehead, " _you would make a terrible puppy._ " He dropped his gaze to her slender neck, " _and I would have to put you on a leash._ "

" _Feeling kinky tonight honey?_ "

He was used to her improper comments now. Though it still left his face crimson sometimes, he didn't splutter anymore. Which was quite an achievement.

His grin widened and he held his laughter back. " _Hardly Darling, just stating the obvious._ "

She chuckled, her warm blue eyes sparkling. "You, Kol Mikaelson, are really one of a kind."

"A good kind I hope?"

"You tell me."

She then jumped on his back and wrapped her arms around his neck and her legs around his waist despite her dress. He stumbled and almost fell because of her weight. " _Darling_ , you aren't as light as you think you are."

"Are you telling me I'm fat?"

"Of course not," he replied cheekily, "just a bit heavy for my back."

"Or maybe you aren't strong enough."

Even without saying her face, he could perfectly imagine her pout in his mind. "Please, have you seen that body of mine?"

She sighed exaggeratedly, " _no. To my deepest regret, I haven't. It's one of my goals in life though, to see you naked. Wish to help me with that?_ "

He rolled his eyes but didn't answer. He put his hand under her thighs and grabbed them to support her weight. As he walked in the forest, Nora dropped her chin on the top of his head and hummed softly.

"Do you want to talk about it?" she asked softly once he had put some distance between them and the village.

He arched a brow, confused. "Talk about what?"

"About what has been bothering you all night."


	8. Chapter 7

**Chapter 7**

* * *

The further Kol walked into the forest, the less he could hear the music played in the village. The twigs breaking and the dry leaves cracking under his feet were now louder than the rhythmic beating of drums and the melodious sound of pan flutes. It wasn't stopping Nora from drumming her fingers softly on his head though, in rhythm with the music. Her fingers on his hair had a calming effect, a stark contrast to their conversation on his father and Kol's fear of becoming too violent.

"You know, you had every right to defend yourself," she said in a gentle voice, "besides, it wasn't just for you, Kol. It was for your family too, for your siblings. You've protected them so, please, don't judge yourself too harshly."

It was easy to say that when she hadn't seen the scene, when she hadn't been there to see him acting like a power-hungry witch. He had no regret for what he did. As Nora had said, he had protected his siblings. Niklaus, from their father's beatings. Or so he hoped. However, he had still feel the need to hurt the man, to make him bleed, again and again.

"He was on his knees Nora," he replied, "and I wanted him to hurt. I could have killed him. I wanted to." And he wasn't sure he would have regretted it.

"Did it feet good? Hurting him?"

He wanted to tell her no but the truth was, it had felt good. To be in control, to be the one in charge of Mikael's fate. To be the one reason he was still alive. Mikael was alive, yes, but only because Kol had decided to not kill him. The feeling of badness only came from his conscience.

"Yes," he ended up saying quietly, reluctant to speak louder. Afraid that it would make the situation more real.

"I see…" She didn't say anything else for a few minutes and his grip on her thighs tightened. One of her hand went to his and loosened his fingers, one by one. "Kol, put me down, please."

Once her feet touched the ground, she turned around and faced him. Her eyes checked over his face, searching for any sign of unease. Staring into the two orbs, blue like a summer sky, he realized he could easily lose himself into them and still not care. The thought startled him and he glanced away, his eyes settling on a point above her head.

She cupped his face and a gentle smile grew on her lips. "I stand by what I said Kol. You could have killed him. You didn't. Maybe you are right and there is something dark inside of you. But there is also good. And right now Kol Mikaelson, you are not a bad guy. You are a good man, looking out for his family."

Their faces were close, closer than they should have been. She wasn't his wife, nor his wife-to-be. Nor even a part of his family. She was just… Nora, a woman he cared about. Cared a lot about her, actually. Somehow, over the time they had known each other, she had come to mean a lot to him, a lot more than he had first imagined, and he feared for the day she didn't come back from her travel.

Even as they were talking about his darkness, her eyes never lost their kind and warm sparkle. There was trust in them. Trust and care. Love, maybe? He didn't know and wasn't even sure he was ready to call 'love' what he was feeling for her. Still, that sparkle enticed him and her rose lips called to him, begging him to come closer and finally touched them. He wanted to give in, to act on that urge and taste her. To feel with his own lips the wild fire whirling under her skin.

He hold his breath and could feel hers on his face. His heartbeat sped and he wondered at the blush slowly creeping over her face. She glanced at his lips and came closer. In a daze, she ran her fingers along his cheeks, her touch leaving a trail of fire behind them.

He took a sharp breath and she broke out of her trance. She took a step back quickly, her face red, and coughed awkwardly, her eyes darting from left to right and looking everywhere but at him. Although he was a bit disappointed that the moment was gone, he couldn't help but smirk at seeing her flustered. It was, after all, quite a sight. A rare sight, seeing as she was usually the one making him blush.

He stepped forward, grabbed her hand and interlaced their fingers. " _What a lovely blush, my Darling,_ " he said with a smirk, " _tell me, were you trying to ravish me?_ "

She didn't meet his eyes and turned her head, clearly hoping to avoid answering him. With a pull on his arms, she tried to make him move forward. " _Can we… please… forget this?_ "

It was rather amusing, not being the one embarrassed for once. " _Just so you know Darling, I would be a completely willing participant._ "

"Right," she choked and then muttered, " _I've created a monster._ " She shook her head, obviously trying to clear her thoughts as, even now, she couldn't help but glance at his face. " _Come on, the night is still young,_ " she mumbled and pulled once again at his arm.

" _Oh? Does that mean there is still a chance for me to be ravished?_ "

She stopped trying to make him move and stared, "It's payback, isn't it?"

"Maybe," he said cheekily, his smirk growing larger when she started muttering under her breath . This time, when she pulled at him, he let her and walked by her side.

" _Just so you know, honey, it goes both ways._ "

As they walked side by side, he realized the idea that he might be even darker than he had always thought had stopped bothering him. Well, for now at least, but it still was better than nothing. Maybe, in a few hours, when his family would be asleep and he would be keeping watch over them… Maybe he would once again be plagued by the darkest parts of himself but even then, he had no doubts he would not regret attacking his father. No matter what he had to do, he would always protect his siblings from the monsters in the dark. His only true fear was that, one day, he would become a monster himself but right now he knew he wasn't one. He was simply Kol Mikaelson.

Deciding he rather liked being more forward and less proper, he stroke Nora's palm with his thumb. "Thank you _Darling_."

She raised a eyebrow and asked him, confounded, "for what?"

"Well, talking with me, listening to my laments, being there for me," he listed with a peaceful smile on his face. He brought their intertwined hand to his lips and kissed her knuckles. "I've missed you."

"Aren't you full of surprises tonight?" In spite of her words, her grip on his hand tightened. "I've missed you too. More than you know. Although, I wasn't gone that long this time, only eight days."

He moved a branch away from their path and saw the shimmer of the moonlight on the water. There, hidden behind tall trees and bushes, was a pond he had found with Rebekah during one of their adventure a few summers ago. The moon reflected in its clear water.

"And here we are," he said softly, his voice barely a murmur as he didn't want to disrupt the still of the night.

"Here we are," Nora repeated as she took in the sight in front of her. She let his hand go and suddenly spun on her heel and looked at him with a coy smile and a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "Remember," she said as she began to untie the laces on her dress and walk backwards, getting closer to the pond with every step, "payback goes both ways."

It felt as if his mouth had dried up as he watched her clothes fall to the ground. Her chin lifted, daring him to say something, she was staring at him shamelessly, naked, her beautiful curves on display and the moonlight shining upon her golden skin. Her long hair was barely hiding her breasts. Gods she was gorgeous. He couldn't find the strength to look away, nor even the desire to do so.

She continued to walk backwards until her feet touched the edge of the pond. The only sign of unease was the slight tremor in one of her hand. She removed the flower from her hair and slowly bent over to put in on the ground, her eyes never leaving his.

He opened his mouth to say something, anything really, but found himself speechless. She straightened up and dived into the water. It rippled, the waves crashed into the rocks at the edge of the pond. He was far away enough to not be splashed by it, but close enough to see the air bubbles at the surface of the water. And, as he looked at them with wide-eyes, he realized there were less and less of them. And yet, Nora didn't come to the surface.

" _Bloody hell!_ If this is your idea of entertainment, there must be something really wrong in your head," he said harshly despite being alone, all thoughts of desire gone as his worry for the redhead increased.

Had she been stupid enough to dive into the pond without being able to swim? Seriously? Nobody in their right mind would do such a thing.

And yet…

Maybe something went wrong?

When the last bubbles disappeared, he panicked and dived in fully clothed. The water was colder than he expected it to be. It sent a shock to his body and the idea that the same thing might had happened to a naked Nora made him go underwater and search for her frantically. His eyes were burning as he kept them open while he tried to see something. However, he couldn't pierce through the darkness.

When the burn in his lunges became unbearable, he got to the surface. Air filled his lunges but he didn't care and looked around him.

"Nora!" he yelled desperately. There were no answer though, only his own voice in the stillness. He took a deep breath and got ready to plunge once again into the cold water but, before he could do that, arms wrapped themselves around his waist.

Nora appeared out of the water, laughter in her eyes, and grinned, "got you!"

Relief and anger fought inside of him as he tried to make sense of what had just happened. She was alright. She wasn't drowning. She had actually been alright the whole time.

He grabbed both of her wrist in a firm grip and glared at her. "Are you completely out of your mind?!"

She flinched as if he had struck her. "It was just a joke, Kol," she said hesitantly.

"A joke? Really? You call that a joke?" he asked her incredulously. "And do you have another sick joke you want to try on me? Do you even realized how much you scared me?!"

"Look Kol, I'm sorry, I never meant -"

He cut her off and yelled angrily, "You never mean anything Nora, and that is the exact problem! You never think before acting! I thought you had drowned for fuck's sake! That you were gone forever!"

Tears filled her eyes and for one short moment, he felt remorse for his harsh words. Her lips quivered and she tried to make him release her arms so she could wipe her tears from her already wet face but he only clenched his fingers tighter. Her wrists were tiny and the skin against his fingers hot despite the cold outside. He could feel her fire, the wildness inside her blood. He wanted more and more.

"Kol, I -" she tried to say again and his gaze settled on her lips.

Without any warning, he used his hold on her to draw her into him and crashed his mouth against hers.


	9. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

* * *

Kissing Nora felt like magic. The rush, the thrill, the wild fire burning and threatening to consume him. And gods, the electricity shooting through him. His body was alit, humming, and Kol wanted nothing more than to lose himself into her, to delve into her and never let her go. Releasing her wrists, he cradled her face and tilted her head to deepen the kiss, his hold on her firm and unyielding.

She thrust her hands into his hair, her fingers burying themselves into his locks and pulling him down. She parted her lips with a sigh of relief. Her whole body was pressed up against him and his soaked clothes, the damn fabric being the only things between them. He could feel all of her, her breasts against his chest, her erect nipples, her stomach muscles clenching.

There was nothing soft or delicate in their embrace. It was wild and hard. She bit his tongue and he replied in kind. She lifted herself up thanks to the water, wrapped her legs around his waist and pushed his head down her neck and he trailed down her collar bone with his tongue and teeth. He nibbled at the skin under his lips, bruised it, marked it as his.

He craved her, he realized as they locked eyes, and she wasn't close enough. She could never be close enough. His hands slid down her body, grazing her breast and he listened to her whimpers with relish. He grabbed her butt and yanked her closer, pushed her into him, his fingers digging into her flesh. He groaned, feeling the heat of her core through his pants.

Suddenly, she pulled strongly on his hair, forcing him to tilt his head back, and dragged her lips to his jaw. Her fingers left his hair and stroke his neck, her nails deliciously scratching his skin.

She gasped his name and the word had never sounded better than when it left her half open mouth, her cheeks red while she gazed at him through lidded eyes. Her wet hair clung to her face, the water running along her bare skin, sliding down her breasts. Seeing those water drops suddenly made him aware of his surroundings. Here they were, being intimate in a pond after a quarrel. Once again, he was reminded that Nora was neither his wife nor his betrothed. As much as he wanted her, she deserved better than to be taken in the wood like a common whore.

As his eyes took in her every features, the fire inside him cooled, leaving only a warm feeling. His thumb stroke her cheek and he kissed her forehead. "You are so beautiful," he murmured, almost as an afterthought as inwardly he was pondering on how to make things right.

"I want you Kol," she whimpered, her breath short and her heart beating fast. "I need you."

A soft smile appeared on his face and he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. "It please me to hear that _Darling_ , because I want you too. Very much." Relief sprang through her and she gripped his outer clothes to pull him closer. He stopped her and cupped her face. "But I want to do right by you Nora."

He really did. And he knew the right step, the proper thing to do, would be to marry her. He cared for her, deeply, and knew the feeling was entirely mutual. Maybe it was love, maybe it wasn't. He didn't really know, as love was quite uncommon amongst his people and rarely - if never - taken into account for a wedding. A weakness, his father always said to describe the sentiment. But then again, Kol was pretty sure the man didn't even know what the word meant. All in all, love was something he had only felt for his siblings and what he felt for Nora was completely different - thank you very much. There was no need to know what he truly felt for Nora to wed her though, especially when marrying her meant she would be able to integrate the village.

Although it was rather uncommon for foreigners to do so otherwise than as a slave, it wasn't unprecedented. His mother, for example, had been taken from her own people during a raid. Her marriage with Mikael saved her from a life of slavery.

Two years had gone since his first meeting with Nora and in spite of that strange accent of hers, she could now speak his people's language fluently. Should she integrate the village, nobody would be able to use her lack of understanding against her.

However, he wanted more to life than forty years of barbarism and violence. More than the life he would have, should he stay in the village. He wanted to travel, to learn more about magic, to see the world with his own eyes. And more than anything, he wanted to see his siblings safe, away from Mikael.

Because of those reasons, he couldn't marry Nora right now. He couldn't bring her to the village, wed her, leave his home and build their own house. He just couldn't. One day, when Henrik was strong enough to travel safety, then and only then he would be able to marry her and start a family far away from Mikael and that wretched village.

"Oh," Nora breathed out and stood still, her eyes wide-open and her hands releasing his clothes.

"Yes, oh." A flicker of a smile chased across his lips. "You deserve better than this." She deserved everything the world had to offer. He tapped her nose and his smile widened when she squinted to focus on his finger. "You deserve more than I can give you now."

Whether she was aware of it or not, there was a hidden promise behind his words. A promise of better days, some times in the future. A promise of a future with him by her side, with him standing by her.

* * *

Nora remained quiet as they left the pond, lost in thoughts he wasn't privy to. Even though he was walking ahead of her, one hand gripping tightly one of hers, he could feel her eyes on his back and knew she had a thoughtful look on her face, with her lips blending together into a thin line and a frown wrinkling her forehead. Her free hand was probably twisting nervously an unlucky lock of hair.

Why she was acting in such a way was beyond him though. At first, he had been sure she was feeling a bit frustrated, what with him stopping her from ravishing him - and gods and Nature forbade, the future couldn't come soon enough. However, the idea was quickly discarded when he saw how ashen her face was. It was as if his words, his intentions toward her voiced aloud had washed away the lovely red that had previously adorned her cheeks.

Was the idea of building a life with him someday so terrible? Had he misread her feelings for him?

It… hurt. A lot, actually, to think that she would be so distressed over the possibility of him marrying her.

Or… Maybe he was wrong. Maybe she was upset he couldn't make her his wife now.

A sigh escaped his lips. It made no sense and he was beginning to sound like Elijah - lovesick and dramatically melancholic over a woman. Or Rebekah - ever since she discovered herself a woman and decided to actually listen to their mother's lessons on how to be a supposedly proper future wife and mother, a beautiful and quiet straw mattress in his own words, she kept making eyes at the biggest idiot of the village, Úlfr Sveinsson. He wouldn't regret running the man through with his sword… much.

He dried them with a wave of his hand and kept his eyes away from Nora as she dressed herself. There was no need to tempt himself with the view of her bare skin. Instead, he closed his eyes and listened to the quiet of the night, barely disturbed by the rustle of clothes being put on. It appeased his troubled mind, put his troublesome musings to rest. The future was just that. A future full of possibilities, with nothing set in stone. He knew what he wanted though, and it was more than enough for now.

So caught was he on his appreciation of Nature's very own music that he almost missed the rustle of leaves under Nora's feet as she made her way to him. Almost.

She pressed her hand on his back, the hard muscles tensing against her warm palm. He took a deep breath, forcing himself to stay still and wait for her to speak.

She didn't, though. At least, not for a while, simply standing behind him, her fingers on his back and her nails almost biting his skin as his clothe was rather thin.

"I want to do right by you too," she eventually murmured wistfully, with guilt lacing her voice. His eyes opened wide and before he could think of something to say - or even think - she spoke again. "I haven't been completely honest with you. I mean, I should have told you before but I was scared. I still am."

His brow furrowed, puzzled, and he turned around to look at her, his mouth slightly open and a quizzical expression on his face as he stared at her. If possible, she was even more ashen-faced than before and was now tormenting her lips with her teeth. Putting his confusion aside for a few second, he caught her bottom lip with his thumb and forefinger and rubbed it softly.

" _Darling_ , you know you can trust me."

Ever since they met, Nora had trusted him. They argued sometimes, disagreed on one thing or another, but she trusted him, deeply, and over time, he learned to trust her too. The possibility of the woman not trusting him had never crossed his mind, because she **did**. Never before had her eyes looked at him with the barest hint of doubt. Until now. It was unsettling and he was unsure on how to proceed. And shocked that he had taken her trust in him for granted.

" _I do trust you Kol, more than anyone else in the entire world,_ " she replied and glanced away when her voice wavered. "I just… I have never done this before… It is the first time and it is scaring."

Surely what she wanted to say couldn't be so bad? And yet, he found himself tensing against his will, a sick feeling growing in his stomach. The air between them was now heavy, and the silence following her words deafening. All he could hear was his own beating heart.

She wrapped her arms around her waist, suddenly looking very small and fragile. Breakable. It was wrong. Nora was a strong woman.

"Do you remember the first time you met me?" she asked him, her eyes not meeting his, fixed on a tree instead.

"Of course I do. It is hard to forget a naked woman on fire in a forest." And now that he thought about this, it really was something hard to forget. Yet, he had stopped caring about that mystery a long time ago.

"And my first word?"

It was… His eyebrows shot up and he stared at her, astonished.

"Your name," she murmured when he didn't reply quickly enough, "it is the first thing you heard me say."

He stared at her, stared and stared, waiting for her to change her words. Change the way she spoke, the way she used the words to tell him something. His head was spinning and a feeling akin to betrayal was worming his way towards his heart.

"You already knew who I was," he stated blankly.

Was that it? Had she been spying on the village for some rival people? Had she… put his siblings in danger? He didn't care about the village - save for Tatia of course - but his brothers… his sister… Had she endangered them? For what? Gold? And her travels? Did she even travel at all? Was she actually going back to her master every time she left the forest? No, it couldn't be that simple. He refused to believe that.

"I did. I did because…" She took a deep breath and finally looked at him, "because it was not the first time I found myself in fire in front of you."

"I think I would remember meeting you before."

"No," she shook her head, "because it was the first time **you** met **me** , while **I** had already met **you** years ago."

He tilted his head when she began to ramble needlessly. The tension in his shoulders disapperared as he watched her twisting her hair, getting it in a tangle. It wasn't the behavior of a traitor. She did fear him, or his reaction at the very least, but it dawned on him that her secret might not be about the village, his family, or even him. Clearly, there had been some misunderstanding and the whole 'confession' thing was not that bad.

Even though it still not explained how she knew his name before they met. That question, though, could be answered at a later time.

He really trusted Nora. It would serve no purpose to doubt her before she even told him what was troubling her mind.

" _Darling_ , you make no sense," he said before chuckling at their foolish behavior. In the same day, they had quarelled, kissed, felt wakward with each other, and they were now in the middle of some weird confession. All of this after he had fought with his father and she had danced around the bonfire. Obviously, the day had been long and tiring. Too long and too tiring. "Maybe you should go to sleep," he suggested, to which she answered with a glare.

Well. At least, she had forgotten how she was supposed to fear him and had stopped torturing those poor hair and lips of hers.

"It would make more sense if you let me finish!" she snapped. "And don't _Darling_ me, I'm being serious here."

"Alright, go on."

" _That's what I'm trying to do but you're always stopping me!_ "

" _Yes, well, I'm not doing that now, am I?_ "

"See!" She pointed her finger at him. " _You've done it again!_ "

He pinched the bridge of his nose, slightly bending his head down to hide his mouth as his lips pulled up into a fond smile. "This is ridiculous."

"I know," she sighed tiredly, "I have imagined this scene so many times and this is just wrong. You are supposed to be angry, astounded, amazed or, I don't know, doubtful! Not trying to hide your smile!" He didn't bother denying her - very true - accusation as she continued her tirade, " _Fucking hell!_ Kol, I'm a time traveler!"

...

He burst out laughing.

* * *

Sorry for the waiting! I would love to say it's because of real life but honestly, I just got lost in the Merlin fandom xD I've actually discovered the show not that long ago (well, I knew about it, but hadn't watched it) and my god, I'm pretty sure this is one of the best thing I've ever watched! Merlin and Arthur are fighting with Kol for the first place in my favorite character list xD

See you next time ;)


	10. Chapter 9

**Chapter 9**

* * *

His laugh didn't last long. In front of him, Nora's face had fallen and there was now a distant look in her eyes. Had he been someone else, he would have thought she was not affected by the situation. However, Kol knew Nora. He knew her well and it was easy for him to see the tension in her shoulders and the apprehension in her eyes. Oh, it was hidden. Well hidden, even. But it was there and he knew it.

"Nora…," he said in a kind voice, " _Darling_ , surely you do not expect me to believe such nonsense? This is madness."

Her face softened and she sighed. "Of course it is." She then moved toward him and touched his cheek. "I knew your name," she continued, pleading.

"You did." He grabbed the hand touching him and squeezed her fingers. The last two years brought a few callus on her hand. It wasn't as soft as it had once been. "But how many other reasons are there to explain this?"

"I speak a language you had no knowledge of."

"From your place of birth in the old world."

"I could not survive on my own."

He smirked, "Just you being you _Darling_." Well, he guessed she could blame her rich family in the old world for spoiling her. Sure, she had never told him being a heiress or something, but he had caught her more than once staring towards the ocean, that vast expanse of salt water which separated them from the old world. Even the best eyes couldn't catch the barest glimpse of the birth land of his parents and his brother Finn.

His smirk disappeared and he touched Nora's forehead with his free hand. No fever. Nothing to indicate she had ingested a poisoned flora. Aside from what she said about time-travelling, she didn't look delirious.

She shook her head and slapped his hand away from her. "I'm not crazy! Nor am I sick!"

"And yet you are asking me to believe in time-travel!" he retorted. At this point, this was beyond madness and he couldn't help but get irritated. "The mere idea of travelling through time goes against every rule of Nature. Against every thing I have faith in!" Couldn't she understand him?

She bit her lips. "And me?" He tensed. "Cannot you believe in me?" She raised her eyes to meet his. "Please," she pleaded," I… I am begging you. Believe me."

The blue of her eyes was glistening with unshed tears as she stared at him with intensity. Without thinking, he stepped back and immediately regretted it when pain flashed in her eyes.

All his life, Kol believed - truly believed - in very few thing. Two, actually. Firstly, his siblings, and, secondly, the mother Nature and the magic it gifted him. The power running through his veins was as familiar as his own hands. It was a part of him, and he wielded it as easily as he moved his hand or listened to the wind. However, this power came with rules. They were few compared to the numerous possibilities offered by magic. However, they were also very strict and never had he dared to flout them. How could he? When his lips prayed the Odin's name to not needlessly clash with his father every fiber of his body vibrated for Nature. Nature was the divinity guiding each of his steps. It gave and gave, again and again, and asked for so little in exchange. How could he refused a few rules, especially when they aimed to protect the balance of the world?

And yet… Yet Nora's blue eyes pierced him as they often did. Telling him her secret had scared her, yet she still told him. Why? Because she wanted to do right by him? Could it really be so simple?

"Please," she begged him again.

He glanced away, looking instead at the forest they would need to walk though after. Would she still trust him if he were to refuse to believe her? Would she go somewhere he couldn't follow? Would he even see her again? And if… If she was saying the truth, would she travel through the veil of time, leave this world and only go back when he had been turned into a little pile of dust?

At this thought, his blood rushed to his stomach and a lump appeared in his throat. He showed nothing of the turmoil inside him. The expression on his face didn't change, even though the idea to never see her again was… almost unbearable.

Nora sighed and furrowed her brows, a crease just above the bridge of her nose. "It is alright. _I… won't leave you._ _Even if you don't believe me, you're stuck with me. After all, I have time on my side. One day, you will believe me. I just know it."_

" _You do huh?"_

" _Yeah, I fucking do."_

Despite her words, her blighted hope was obvious. Her eyes weren't even meeting his anymore and she was looking at the sky as if it had all the answers they could ever seek. As if it was the most beautiful thing to set eyes on. You would thing she had never seen her reflection under the sunlight, especially when she was smiling. Not like now, with every line of her face tinged with weariness and dejection.

It left him with a bitter taste.

If she was saying the truth… What would it mean?

He moved toward the bank and grabbed a rock on the ground. Its surface was rough, the rock heavy in his hand. If he were to throw it in the water, it would sink without fail. Only a miracle, or at least a very slight chance, would make it ricochet off the water.

Less than two ricochet, and Nora lied. More than two, and she told him the truth.

The movement of his arm and his wrist was smooth and accurate when he launched the rock. It flew across a few meters before it touched the surface of the water and, to his surprise, bounced. Once. Twice. Thrice. A fourth and fifth time. Finally, the sixth time saw the rock disappear.

Uh-huh. It was a good thing that he wasn't the kind of people to make decisions like that.

Shaking his head, he turned to face Nora, "Alright, explain."

He definitely wasn't seeing a sign of Nature because the rock had bounced several times. He was just particularly gifted. Still, he could at least listen to what Nora wanted to say.

She hesitated for but a moment before she came to sit on a boulder next to him. One leg hanging above the water, she bent the other and leant on it with her elbow. The kiss they shared in the water now seemed like a old memory, one that had happened a long time ago. This day had definitely been too long.

"I haven't always been travelling through time you know. Once, I had a normal life, without magic or anything supernatural. I was just one woman among so many others."

"And when was that?" he cut her off. It was hard to believe the young woman sitting by his side had once been a 'normal woman'.

"A thousand years in the future," she replied simply, as if it was nothing more than a comment on the color of the grass. There was no sadness. It was merely a fact. Nothing more, nothing less.

He, on the other hand, almost choked on his own saliva. A thousand years in the future?! _What. The. Fucking. Hell?!_

"H-How?" he managed to say after he caught his breath.

"I don't really know, although I think you do. Well, you in the future. You won't tell me a thing because we made a pact. No matter what happens, I cannot tell you what we live in your future. The same goes for you."

"Why?" he asked even though the answer was obvious.

"So as not to try to change the course of time, fail, and needlessly suffer." Then, without turning her gaze away from the reflection of the moon, "you are not surprised."

He nodded mechanically, "not really. If it is true, then your very presence here implies that time is set in stone. We do have free will, our actions and thoughts have simply already been recorded. Time is not a line, with a point A and a point B. More like… a succession of ripples." He took ahold of her hand and followed with his fingers the lines on her palm, relishing in the fire swirling under her skin. He could almost feel the flames licking his skin. "What I would like to know is how you have ended up a thousand years in the past."

"I died."

He turned his head so fast that there was a very audible crack. "What?!"

"Shocking, right?" she laughed weakly and her fingers closed on his own. "Don't worry, I am here, so everything is alright." As if it was that easy. "Anyway, when I woke up, I was in the past with you."

"Me?" Now, that didn't make any sense. Why would some woman of the future end up by his side when she died? Why him? Of course, it was possible that new spells had been invented by then, but he wouldn't even be alive in a thousand years. So why?

" _Yeah._ I don't know how you do it, but you always find me. Always." With that said, tension disappeared from her body. Her hold on his hand loosened and she broke into a wide, open smile the first time since they left the lake. "I couldn't control myself at the beginning. I was so scared and could end up a human torch at any time. And when it happens, I time-travel. And space-travel too, I guess, because I can never be sure I will be in the same place "

He had yet to decide whether he believed her or not. But she seemed so sincere, and the idea that she had already known death made him draw her into him and wrap his arms around her waist. She buried her face in his chest and breathed deeply.

How did it feel, to be in another time? A thousand years. Hundreds of lifetimes. Had the world changed? Undoubtedly. And to what extent? How did Nora remain strong when she was stuck in an era that wasn't her own, and not only in another continent like he had always thought.

"What happened?" he ended up asking.

"You. I told you, you always find me. You helped me. Now, I can control myself. I only travel when I feel one particular feeling."

"Which one?"

"I…Sorry, I don't really want to talk about it," she replied, obviously uncomfortable.

"Alright." He inhaled softly, hundreds of thoughts swirling in his mind. "You know, I should be verifying the truth of your words with magic. There is a spell for that. I ask you a question, and magic makes you answer. My mother uses it sometimes, usually on Nik and Elijah."

"Do you want to do it now?"

There. No trace of distrust. Only her faith in him. Her trust that he wouldn't abuse his power. She believed in him. Maybe… Maybe it was time he showed her his trust in her.

"No _Darling_ , I believe you," he stated firmly.

She took in a sharp breath, shocked. "You do? Really?"

"Yeah, I do." And he truly did.

"Good. Then there are some things you need to know."

He flicked her nose softly, "What about that promise of you ? About not telling me of my future."

She shook her head, "no promise is worth your despair." She cradled his face. "I fell in love with the future you, years ago." He tried to say something - what, he wasn't sure though - she she stopped him. "You are different, but still the same for so many reasons. To me, no matter the time I am in, you are always the man I love. You save me in more than one way Kol. Let me do the same for you."

What kind of answer was she expecting? Did she want him to confess his eternal love for her, even though he wasn't sure of it? How could he know whether or not he loved her? Sure, he wanted to marry her somedays in the future, make sure that she was happy and safe, but to call this love? Besides, "have we not just say that time was unalterable?"

She licked her lips. "Maybe, but for you, I want to change the future. More than anything in this world, I want you to be happy."

"And you believe I'm not in your future?"

"I -" she hesitated, "I think your are. Sometimes. And sometimes you are not."

"Well, I cannot be happy all the times _Darling_ ," he grinned. "Although I am glad to know you will be by my side years from now. Surely it cannot be that bad."

Besides, he had enough difficulties accepting the existence of a time-traveler and what it meant for Nature. He wasn't going to try breaking the timeline. Especially as he wasn't sure what would happen to Nora should they ever succeed. Would she disappear? Would they even meet? He wasn't about to try changing the future and risk Nora's life only to be happier.

"Kol… Henrik is dead in my future."

No.

No

No no no no no no.

Not Henrik. Not Henrik and his warm smile. His kindness. His peaceful dreams. His laugh. Just… Henrik.

Anything. _Hell,_ anyone but Henrik. Not his sweet little brother.

He staggered a few steps back and tried to breathe. He couldn't. It was like his lunges had forgotten how to breathe. No, it wasn't that. It was like the world had been pulled out from under his feet. Like it had stopped turning and he was the only one left, the only one still moving. But not his lunges as they were waiting for time to resume its course. Nora wasn't helping, instead staring at him with pity and apprehension, as if he were an injured wild animal with unpredictable reactions.

Eventually, he lowered his head, eyes on the ground. A few locks of hair obstructed his sight and projected a shadow onto his face. He clenched his fists and his nails bit into his palms, carving five bloody moons on each hand.

"Tell me," he said darkly.

"Kol, -"

"Tell me!" he snapped.

And so she told him. In fact, she didn't even know that much. His future self hadn't said much. Why? He didn't know. The idea that she could be lying didn't even cross his mind. All he knew was that he would do anything to stop the wolves. Henrik would not die. Not on his watch. And if he had to defy Nature and break time, then he would. All the magic of the world wasn't worth his little brother's life.

* * *

The next day, as Henrik sat on his shoulders to pick apples, Kol couldn't help holding him tighter than usually and listening to his every words with rapt attention. He would save him. He could do it. He just had to plan now. First, secure the forest. Second, create a spell to make sure he always knew where Nora was. A thousand years was a long time. He doubted his actions would stop her from ending in the past after her death. All he had to do was to make sure he could always find her. Once done, he would be able to be there when she did time-travel. She would fall in love with him and want to save Henrik for him. Of course, by then Henrik would not be actually dead, but she didn't have to know that. Maybe one day, when they were both old, with children of their own and years shared as husband and wife, he would confess his lie, but until then he would stop at nothing to save Henrik.

* * *

That's it for chapter 9 ! Sorry for the very late update but I had to finish my thesis. Good news : it's done! I've passed it just yesterday morning and god, it feels so good to be free! (Well, I just have to begin my search for a job now. Even though I'm very very very shy.)

Anyway, this chapter has been hell to write. Seriously, I've parts of later chapters already written, I knew what I wanted for this one, and yet, I couldn't find the right words. I hope the result was worth the wait. And what do you think? Will Kol be able to save Henrik? What will happen? Any guess? And can you guess what feeling makes Nora time-travelling?

The next chapter will be a bit shorter and the last before we get to the famous year 1001.

Also, thank you so much for the reviews :) I'm pretty sure I've said it before, but they never fail to make me smile, so thank you ;)

See you next time guy! It won't be long, I promise.


	11. Chapter 10

**Chapter 10**

* * *

Kol wiped the sweat from his forehead with the back of his hand and stepped back to admire the fruits of his labor. There, carefully placed on the ground, were four hand-carved stones at an equal distance from each other. Together, they formed a square big enough for two grown men. It had taken him a lot of time to build several of these in the forest, but he was rather proud of the result.

"I still do not understand why I am here, Kol," Henrik said for the millionth time in two weeks. Sat against a tree a few feet behind him, his little brother was looking at the stones, bewildered. Usually, Kol would have simply smiled, ruffled his hair a bit before explaining it as simply as possible. Here though, Henrik's life was at stake and all he could feel was a sense of urgency and dread. His family had obviously noticed his mad mood but had left him alone so far.

"I already told you Henrik," he replied with a frown, "this is a protective barrier. Invisible for all but your and mine eyes. I, because I am the one who casted the spell, and you because you were there when I have done it." Doing so had been difficult, but not as hard as creating the spell to find Nora, no matter the circumstances. "It is important for you to memorize the location of each barrier. If you ever feel in danger, no matter why, you run until ma magic protects you. It will withstand even the beats. Understood?"

"I know that," the youngest of the family sighed, "but why? I can always run to the village for you to protect me."

He sat down cross-legged in front of Henrik and grabbed the smaller hand. "I might not always be there Henrik. If I am not with you, these barriers are the more secure places."

"Alright," Henrik nodded, "but only because it is you and you are always right."

For the first time in days, Kol snickered. "One more reason to actually listen to me, isn't it?" He waited for a few seconds before adding, "could you make me another promise? It is **very** , **very** important."

"Yes?"

"Promise me to never, ever, under no circumstances, leave the caves on the full moon if I am not by your sides."

Henrik broke into a wide open smile. "Just that? Tsss, easiest promise in the world then!"

Kol smiled back at him, although his was strained. Easiest promise? He hoped so. He truly did. "Now, do you want to see some magic?"

"Not one of your barriers again, please," Henrik groaned.

"Not at all."

With that said, he drew the boy into him and tickled him. Laughter filled the forest and the birds in the surrounding trees flew away at the sudden bursts of voices. He would do anything to protect this laugh for as long as possible. If he had to defy Nature itself, Time or even the Universe to protect the light in Henrik's eyes, then so be it.

XXX

He waited for his siblings and his parents to be asleep to drag his exhausted body out of the house. On that new moon night, only the stars illuminated the sky and their light wasn't enough to light the way. Not that he needed it. By now, he knew what stones could hinder his walk, where to turn and lower his head to avoid branches. In his hands were the objects he would need for the spell he had in mind.

Finding - creating, really - a spell to always find Nora had been difficult - and that was quite the understatement. In his whole life, he had never casted such a complex spell and already he could feel his blood rushing in his veins, swirling and boiling inside him, at the mere idea to put it into practice. It wouldn't be easy, far from it. He would need to use all of his magic to create a link between Nora and him, a link even Time wouldn't be able to break.

In a normal case, he would have simply used a locator spell. That kind of magic was easy. You only needed to possess something from the people you wanted to find. It could be an old trinket, a strand of hair, or even blood. Here though, he didn't only need to know where to find Nora, but also **when** to find her. He had no desire to use a locator spell every morning in the hope that it would one day work. It would be a waste of time and energy.

He moved a bit to his left to avoid a fallen branch and reached Nora's camp a few minutes later. His magic welcomed him immediately and crossing the barrier reinvigorated him more than the few hours of sleep he managed to get.

"Kol!" Nora greeted him, her lips tilted upwards in a warm smile though he could see the concern in her eyes. She looked over him, taking in his features before she seemed to reach a conclusion and came to free his hands. "Is that?" she asked him while staring curiously at the small wooden bowl in her hands.

"Yes, it is exactly what you are thinking about."

"A toad?" she replied wittily, one brow elegantly raised.

Without thinking, he went to brush a strand of hair off her face, a fond smile curving his mouth and his eyes twinkling with amusement. "No, that, I still have to find one. When it is done, I will retrieve a few drops of spit from the toad and you will need to drink it."

" _What the fucking hell?!_ " she cried out, disgusted. " _No fucking way! I adore you, you're the love of my life and everything, but I can't! I won't! There're limits to what I'll do for you! I sure as hell won't do that!_ '

"Even for my future happiness?" he said in a small voice, sounding sad and dejected, his free hand stroking softly the skin beneath his fingers. Inwardly though, he truly wondered how one person could be so gullible. Seriously, the spit of a toad? What kind of spell would need that? One to make people puke to the morrow, maybe?

" _I_ -" she stammered, " _That's… I mean, it's… isn't there any other ways?_ " He shook his head. _"Really?... I…_ "

He smirked and leaned over. _"Just kidding Darling._ "

"What?" she stared at him. Then, when his lips remained twisted into a smirk, she squinted. " _I hate you_."

" _No you don't_."

" _I do. Truly_."

" _Nah, you don't. Now, come on, we've got work to do._ "

They both sat cross-legged in front of each other, their knees the only part of them touching. Around them, Kol let his power set alight the space to form a fire circle. As much for the ritual as because it was cold as hell.

Nora didn't take her eyes off him for one second when he put the wooden bowl between them and grabbed a sharp knife. Only the crackling of the flames could be heard and he found himself reluctant to speak and break the peace.

"Give me your hand and clench your teeth," he murmured, "it might sting a bit."

Of course, she knew the ritual by heart by now as he had explained it to her several times over the last few days. Still, she startled when he took her hand, palm facing the night sky. Carefully, he cut the skin perpendicular to the lines already crossing her hand. The sharp hiss of pain slipping out of her mouth through her clenched teeth was the only sign of pain she let out.

" _That's my girl_ ," he said proudly, grinning, before turning her hand towards the knees so the blood would trickle into the bowl.

Once it was filled enough, he gave her the knife without taking care of her wound, blood still flowing out from it. Her grip on it was firm and she didn't hesitate to slice his skin. And he flinched. He _fucking_ flinched and seing the wry smile on her lips, she totally noticed.

" _And that's my boy, isn't it hon?"_ she teased him while his blood was filling the bowl.

They linked their bloody hands together, and it felt as if the fire inside Nora was trying to seep through his wound and lick his whole being. He felt alive, and **alight**. Still, he couldn't afford to be distracted for the next part of the ritual.

His free hand stirred the red liquid before raising the bowl to his lips so that he could take a sip of their mixed bloods. The metallic taste immediately filled his mouth as the thick liquid flowed through his throat. There was a weird, but sadly not unfamiliar, feeling inside his stomach, as if it was turning on itself, or trying to climb up all the way to his mouth. What a sight it would be, him hurling all over Nora. Somehow, he doubted it would end well, for him, should such a thing happen. She would never let him forget. Ever.

He managed to control his gag reflex and hide his disgust, unlike Nora.

"I have known better," she muttered before breathing in deeply and putting the bowl down.

"Never said blood was tasty." Disgusting was a better word. Especially in such quantity.

"Right," she replied, a strange expression on her face. He didn't question her though and took the bowl of water by his sides. While the action in itself should have been easy enough, he had to do a few contortions to not let go of Nora's hand.

"Water," he said with a clear and strong voice, and the clear liquid sprang out of the bowl. Soon, thousands of water drops were floating in the air, all around them.

"Air." They began to swirl, faster and faster.

"Earth." Grains of dust raised from the ground and joined the water.

Already, the space was soaked in magic. It reverberated inside him as drum beats. He could feel the movement of each particles in every part of his being and the shaking hand of Nora told him that she felt it too.

"Fire," he finally said, and the flames shone brighter than ever. They reached for the sky and swirled with the other elements. Slowly, water, air, earth and fire merged together and became a thick golden thread. It then came to them and wrapped around their joined hands.

Nora's eyes met his, and it was as if their hearts was beating together as one.

"Your blood is my blood."

"Your blood is my blood," she said after him.

The golden thread heated up, burning their skins. His magic and Nora's weird one were dancing together.

"Your fate is my fate."

Once again she repeated his words.

"Your soul is my soul."

"…" Her breathing became shallow and irregular, almost shaking. He squeezed her hand. "Your soul… is my soul."

The thread disappeared under their skin. There was a brief light before their mixed blood seeped into their wound. Eventually, nothing was left. No golden thread, no light, no blood and no wound.

He opened his eyes - and when did he even close them? - and for the first time since he took his first breath all those years ago, Kol felt complete. Truly complete. He could feel Nora as if she was a part of him, and he knew, **he knew** , that he would always find her, no matter where and when she was.

"How?" she said, breathlessly and astonished, "how can I feel you too?"

His whole face spread into a soft smile. He didn't want to let her hand go and, so, he didn't. "Because we are bonded together as one."

"But… I have never felt you before, and yet you have always found me."

He nodded and before the thought even crossed his mind, he was already kissing their joined hand. "Maybe because, even though you weren't, I was already bonded to your soul."

Something had changed. And he didn't care. Whatever had changed, it felt good.


	12. Chapter 11

**Chapter 11**

* * *

 **1001 A. D.**

* * *

It happened a sunny day. The day after the full moon. A bright, shining and oh so warm sun was already high in the sky when Kol woke up, feeling more relaxed than he ever had in months. Leaves on the trees were sparkling with dew and, as he left the darkness of the caves, he relished in the mere feeling of being alive, with sunrays deliciously warming his skin and erasing the last remnant of cold of the previous night. There was no hurry in his steps, no burden on his heart and soul. Only the feeling of peace making it easier to breathe and take in the scent of Nature.

Rebekah stopped him briefly to ask if he knew where Nik and Henrik were. He was quick to reassure her that he had seen the two of them just the night before, speaking lowly to each other. No doubts they were planning something and he wanted no part of this as it would surely be...explosive. Nik had been a bit depressed since Tatia had told him the love she felt for him was one for a brother, not for a lover, and that the only man in her heart would only ever be Elijah. Hopefully, their little brother had some idea to brighten Nik's mood. They had all tried to no avail - even Elijah, and gods had it been awkward - and eventually given up. Well, all besides Henrik, that is.

He stepped into the forest and headed to Nora's camp, humming and one hand trailing lazily over the bark of trees.

Then he saw red. Blood. Lot of it. Splattered everywhere. The corpse of two gutted beasts, their blood and bowels tainting the grass and fallen leaves with a dark crimson color. And Nora, bleeding against a tree, a circle of fire around her and her sword stuck on the ground on her left. She had several gashes all over her body and face. One in particular seemed to touch her left eye, and he wasn't sure she still had it. Yet, none were more terrifying than the one over her stomach that he could see through her ripped dress. Her hands were trying to slow the bleeding down but were ineffective.

There was a pounding in his ears as he ran to her, crossing over the fire without a second thought. It burnt his skin and he didn't care. All he cared was the eternity it took to cross the distance and reach her. Even as he did, his heart was in his throat and he couldn't stop his hands and voice from shaking when he called for her.

"Gods, Nora." He didn't know what to do. She was bleeding and it wouldn't stop. He didn't know a thing of magical healing and felt helpless. A warlock was no god.

She couldn't die. Not now, not ever. She couldn't leave him. She just couldn't.

His mother. His mother would know what to do. She knew healing. He had to bring her Nora. She would heal her and everything would be alright once more. He would kill the first person trying to hurt her and no one would ever try again.

He put one of his hand on hers. She was cold and barely conscious but somehow she found the strength to open her eyelids. One blue eye and one empty socket. " _It's alright. You're going to be alright. I'll take care of you. Nothing will hurt you anymore."_ Nothing would ever again. Cursed or not, he didn't care. He was going to destroy the beasts hiding behind their neighbors' faces. They would pay for daring to touch her and beg for mercy. A mercy that would never come. He would paint their village with their blood, use their corpses to light the fire warming Nora's nights. He would trap their souls into an endless suffering until the end of times.

" _Kol…"_ she struggled to say, every breath hurting her.

Like a switch, his darkness receded and hid deep inside his mind.

"Shhh." He rubbed the dirty skin under the empty socket softly. " _You're safe._ "

She shook her head, pain distorting her features as she did so. " _I…-_ " She inhaled deeply. " _h-heal fast…er. Don't wo…worry about me."_ Her one eye stared at him sadly. " _I'll… be all g-good again s-soon. You… You need to lea… to leave. They…were there. I t-tried to s-save them but…_ "

His brow furrowed as he failed to see why he should ever leave her. He didn't care she healed faster. Well he did, as it meant she would live. But he wasn't about to leave her alone when she could barely stay awake.

" _Kol_ ," she continued, " _it's Henrik._ "

His heart stopped before he could even process her words.

"No," he denied in a shaky voice. It wasn't possible. Henrik knew better than to go outside on a full moon. Besides, he had promised him. Henrik was no liar. Henrik was sweet and innocent, full of light. Full of **life**. He had been with Nik whole night. Not outside. Never outside. "No," he repeated with more force, "you are mistaken."

" _A man sh…shou…ted his name. Henrik. You… need to leave. P…lease._ "

In shock and his face ashen, his mind struggling to come the truth, to understand what was real and what was fake, he nodded and stood up shakily. "I… I will be back. I promise. Wait for me."

Wait for me. There were so many things he wanted to tell her. I love you, for he now knew he did. What else could explain the horror filling him at the mere thought of never seeing her ever again. Of a life without her by his sides. Of any men touching her skin in his stead. I thought you were dead. You can't leave me, not now, not ever.

So many things still untold, but it could wait. So, without looking back, he left. And even then, even as he ran faster than he ever had, with his heart pounding and fear and despair curling in his stomach, he couldn't forget Nora's eye when she told him. Couldn't forget as he already knew what he would find. Death.

And death he found, although he couldn't bring himself to reach it. Henrik. His cold body on the ground, dirty and bloody. His mother was screaming. Nik was crying, as were Rebekah and Elijah. Finn was staring blankly, not really understanding. Or not wanting to understand. Their father looked murderous and grabbed Nik by his shirt, yelling that it was all his fault. And it was. For the first time, Kol felt no desire to protect Nik from Mikael.

Instead, he stayed away. He didn't want to see his little brother's unseeing eyes. Didn't want for it to be his last memory of his dear - and oh so, so dear - brother. He stared from afar, as if the family before him wasn't his. He stared and stared, his face impassive, and silently begged for Time to rewind itself. For the world to be right again. For him to wake up from this nightmare. The world was falling apart and all his eyes could see was the small body lying on the ground.

He had failed Henrik.

He would never see his bright smile again.

He threw up the few berries he had eaten in the morning, the color reminding him of Nora's and Henrik's blood. He hated it.

Hours passed. He didn't move. Eventually, someone covered Henrik - no, it wasn't Henrik, just an empty shell. They moved the corpse but Kol still didn't move. His feet were stuck. He was stuck. In an endless nightmare.

Nothing would ever be right again. Killing the beasts would not bring his little brother back to life. There were no spells to bring back the spell. And even now, his magic couldn't find any new familial magic from the spirit world. Henrik was young and innocent. And not the so-called other side. Henrik… was simply not in this world anymore. He was out of Kol's reach. Only death would let them meet again.

Then, when he though the situation couldn't be worse, something was ripped from him. From his very soul. He bent over, hands on his knees, trying to breathe. It hurt so much. His whole body was on fire, the flames licking in from the inside and destroying him bit by bit.

"No," he gasped. "No, no, no, no." It couldn't be. Nora was waiting for him.

The pain stopped and he could breathe once again but there was no relief. Instead, there was a gap inside him. An emptiness. A void. Nora was dead.

He ran back to the forest. Branch hit his face, scratched his skin. He fell, tumbled, but didn't dare to stop even for one second.

When he reached the last place he saw her, he fell to his knees in the mud. Tatia was there, looking with teary eyes at Nora's head on her lap. Flames were slowly but surely turning the red-headed body to ashes, the white dust flying away with the wind.

He had lost her.

At the end, the only thing that remained was the flower he had once spelled for her. He crushed it.

XXX

Tatia stayed with him, tears running along her cheeks as they both stared off into space. He didn't cry. Couldn't. Couldn't do anything, really. At one point, she had taken his hand in hers but it brought him no comfort. He hast lost Henrik. He had lost Nora. Both deaths could have been avoided, but he had made mistakes. Had grown complacent with his power.

"Henrik is dead," he said flatly. Inwardly, his heart was breaking. Simply thinking of their names hurt. Saying one of them… it hurt even more.

So he said it. Because while he felt the pain, it also helped to forget, even for but a moment, the void where Nora's soul had been.

"I know," Tatia replied quietly, not turning to face him. Still staring at nothing in particular.

"You should be with Elijah. He needs you." He didn't want to be alone but felt it needed to be said.

"He has Rebekah and Niklaus. I will not leave you alone. You are my friend."

A beat.

"It is my fault. This… is my punishment for trying to defy Nature." He wasn't sure Tatia understood him. Had Nora ever told her about time-travelling? The two women had been close, he knew that, but to the point of telling her the truth? He wasn't sure. But he needed to say it out loud. It was his fault. His mistakes for daring to defy Nature and Time, to believe his magic was stronger than Nature itself. That he was powerful enough to break the timeline.

Tatia's head snapped to him and she slapped him. "Do not be an arrogant bastard!" she retorted sharply, "As if you were important enough that the Gods would destroy someone else's fate only to punish **you**!"

Maybe she was right. Maybe she was wrong. He didn't care. The guilt was there. No words would make it disappear. It was there with the pain, the endless sorrow and despair, and the void. Always the void. It hurt so much. So _fucking_ much.

Tatia sighed. "You know, when my son left," she waited a few seconds then continued, "someone told me that no matter what happens, the sun would always be there. There would always be a tomorrow."

He snorted. "The words of someone naive," he replied darkly, "who have never felt the loss of someone he loved. You should have hit him."

"I wanted to, believe me. But you know, you were right. Those words, they are the reason I leave my bed every morning. The sun I see is the same of my son."

"Good for you," he muttered through clenched teeth, "Henrik and Nora are dead though. There will not be any sun-watching for them anymore."

"Maybe, but one day, you will be alright. It is going to be hard. Most days, you will not want to wake up. Then, one day, you will realize you are alive. You will not remember their deaths but their smile and the love they had for you. The rest will be hazy. Conversations you had, games you played together, you will not remember them all. But **them** , Henrik and Nora, they will always be in your heart. And with them with you, I know you will be alright."

He denied her words. Although he never though he would ever say that, he wasn't strong enough. He wouldn't move on from their deaths. There would never be a day where he wouldn't miss them. Remembering their smile and their love would not feel good. It would hurt, reminding him again and again his loss.

Finally, after what felt like hours, Tatia stood up. Her face was weary and her eyes, swollen and red-rimmed. They were dull, and he was pretty sure they reflected his own eyes. She brushed ashes - Nora's ashes and gods it hurt, it hurt, it hurt - from her dress. He flinched.

She turned to face him and hesitated for a moment before she said in a tired voice, "Nora's last words… do you want to hear them?"

Her last words. No. Just, no. He couldn't do this. It was too much. "No," he gasped, one hand gripping his chest over his heart. Gods, he wanted to die.

Disappointment filled her eyes. "She waited for you. Doesn't she deserve at least that?"

She deserved the world, he thought but didn't say. She had deserved so much more than what he gave her. But still, he didn't want to hear her last words. Didn't want to remember that at the end, he had been too late. She was supposed to be safe, healing - she told him she would be fine _damn it_ – but it was all a lie. And he hadn't been with her. Had been too late for Henrik, and too late for Nora too.

Tatia didn't care about his opinion. "It wasn't farewell. Well, for you that is," she said sadly, tears filling her eyes once more, "she said 'see you later.'"

It didn't help. Was there a limit to how much pain one could bear?

'See you later'? Than what?

How would he be able to face the younger version of the woman he loved and lost, knowing nothing would change her fate?

Tatia left after asking him to not stay alone in the forest for too long. Only when he was alone did the tears left his eyes. He brought his knees up to his chest and cried.

The crushed flower was still at his feet. As was all the blood and the beats' corpses.

* * *

 **End of chapter 11.**

So… Yeah, I've written this. There will be more Angst in several chapters before Kol gets his happy ending (though there won't be only angst or it'll soon be quite depressing). Chapter 12 will be about Kol's change into a vampire but before this, I'm thinking about writing Nora's POV regarding the years she lived with human Kol.


	13. Interlude - Nora and the human

**Interlude 1 – Nora and the human**

* * *

Meeting a human Kol had never been something Nora had given much thought over the last hundred something years she spent travelling through time. It wasn't that she hadn't been curious about his past though, far from it actually. After getting over the whole vampire/hearts out of chests/dead bodies all around her/Kol knowing her/time travelling thing - yeah, the first months had been hell - she had asked a lot of questions. Like, why are you not burning when it's so sunny I would whore myself for a pair of sunglasses? _He cackled like a mad man before telling her he would kill any men daring to touch her_. Are all vampires handsome? _He was proud as a peacock and assured her he was the most handsome one, which was kind of true._ Do you poop? _Yeah. It still made her cringe to remember that one._ Can you turn into a bat? Or into a cow, because I'm kind of fond of them, what with their soft eyes and dark spots? _The memory of the look he gave her when she asked him that particular question was one of the many she would cherish until the very end._

Anyway, Kol had told her very little about his human days. Back then, she had assumed it was because he didn't like to remember it.

And now she was staring naked into the eyes of a younger, very human - speaking some weird language - and very shy Kol. She could deal with human Kol. Sure, he had just rejected her when all she needed was comfort after dying once again - which ineluctably resulted into her bursting into flames and time-travelling -, but human Kol didn't know her. Which was weird because for as long as she could remember, Kol had always known her. But still, he didn't know her. For once, she was the older one, the one with the knowledge, and honestly, it felt kind of good.

However, what she couldn't deal with, was a shy Kol. After a hundred years by his side, spent in several different centuries, you would think she knew Kol. And she did. Well, vampire Kol. And shyness and Kol were two things completely opposite. And a shy Kol was just too cute. And fuck, was it a blush on his face? And now she definitely felt like a cradle robber. Great. Just. Great.

XXX

Vampire Kol had spoilt her. And human Kol, although he was trying to teach her how to survive on her own, was spoiling her too. She missed her Kol like crazy. It felt like a gap inside her heart. Of course, human Kol was there, but it was different. He didn't trust her. She couldn't take him into her arms like she wanted to. He didn't look at her like her vampire lover did.

Still, human Kol was taking care of her. He didn't understand her. They spoke different languages. But he was still taking care of her. Human Kol might be different from vampire Kol, like she was different from the woman she used to be all those years ago, but he was still Kol. No matter the time she was in, no matter his species, Kol was Kol. And just for that, she couldn't help but love him even more than before. No matter what, Kol was home.

XXX

Kol loved magic. She had always known that. Seeing him actually do magic though, was a completely new experience. The smile adorning his face then looked a bit like the one had after drinking blood. Just… more peaceful, somehow. Lighter.

Kol also loved his siblings. He had always done so, but human Kol loved them and trusted them more than anyone else in the world. It made her heart bleed for him when she knew Henrik would die and the rest of them… Well, the less she heard of them, the better she was. Kol had never wanted her to meet them - vampire Kol wouldn't trust Klaus and Elijah with one of his oldest and dirtiest sock - but she had seen them from afar. Kol was always sad after that. She hated them. Really, really, hated them. They could rot in hell for all she cared. She would only use them to cook her lunch if they were on fire.

XXX

She missed French fries.

She really, completely, totally, definitely, missed French fries.

But then again, she had missed them for decades now.

XXX

The first full moon spent hiding behind Kol's barrier didn't scare her that much. It was more the fact that she felt utterly alone for the first time in a century. So she cried a lot, missing Kol's arms and warmth and his sparkling eyes. And his smirk. God his smirk. If there were one thing she wanted to see before going blind, it was that smirk.

She also longed for a muzzle because the wolves were fucking loud.

XXX

She liked Tatia. Well, she did after realizing she wasn't human Kol's lover.

She wasn't sure what she would have done if Tatia had been.

Probably hated the woman and cursed her and killed her a thousand times in her mind. But just in her mind, because human Kol wasn't hers - or well, he didn't know it yet - and Nora would never hurt him willingly.

XXX

She missed sleeping with Kol. In every sense of the word. And human Kol was a fucking tease.

XXX

Telling Kol she was a time-traveler had been difficult. Making him believe her, even more so. Yet he did. And now she had to tell him about Henrik. In the future, Kol had always told her that time was set in stone. Sometimes, things were bound to happen and you couldn't do anything to stop them. It hurt, it really hurt, but life wasn't all about rays of sunshine, unicorns, puppies, and pretty rainbows. It was about growing up as a person. It was about knowing the dead was looking after the living from where they were. It was about many things, actually, and living in the past wasn't one of them. People couldn't keep reliving old memories again and again.

It was really a weird thing to say to a time-travelling woman but well, she did get his point.

Yet, even knowing that, she couldn't help but tell Kol about Henrik. She wasn't sure what it meant for her. Henrik not dying would result in the Mikaelsons staying human, thus herself not being attacked in the future. There would be no vampire Kol to feed her his blood. And so no time-travelling. Talk about paradox. Their story… Would she even remember it? She doubted it, even though she prayed every divinities she knew for that. Could she be happy without Kol in her life? Hardly. But how could she stay silent? She couldn't. She just couldn't. Kol loved Henrik. Losing Henrik would hurt him more than Klaus and Elijah could ever do with their fucking backstabbing and their daggers. Human Kol might think there was darkness inside his heart, but to her, he was still innocent.

She wanted to protect him. To protect the light she could see in his eyes when he spoke about his youngest brother.

XXX

Kol bound their souls together and she felt complete in a way she had never before. A gap she had never been aware of was suddenly filled and all she could feel was Kol. Their hearts were beating together as one, she could feel his inside her own chest. It felt good.

XXX

There was no hesitation in her steps as she ran away from the protective barrier, her sword in her hand. Somehow, Henrik and Klaus were in the forest even though it was a full moon. Klaus had screamed Henrik's name, so they weren't protected by Kol's magic. She had to do something. Kol was in the caves, probably sleeping. She would try to save Henrik in his stead. And if it meant dying in the process, well, it wouldn't be the first nor the last time she died.

Dying was a bit scary, of course, but Kol's happiness was far more important. She could deal with fear, not with Kol's despair.

XXX

She lied to Kol, telling him she would be alright. She was going to die and she knew it. While she did heal faster than a normal human, her power had been awoken by Kol's vampire blood the first time he gave it to her, a thousand years in the future. Because of that, werewolves bites hurt her like hell and slowed down her healing. With the wounds she had sustained, there was no way she would survive.

She tried to wait for Kol though. She really did. Tatia was there, stroking her blood soaked hair, not even caring about the two dead werewolves besides them. Nora would missed the woman who had become one of her closest friend.

She hoped Henrik was alright. Tatia had avoided the question, begging her instead to not close her eyes and crying when Nora told the woman her last words. Her mind was foggy by then, she didn't understand much of what was going around her.

Then she was burning and she wasn't sure when she would end up, or if she would even still exist, should Henrik be alive. She was scared and wanted Kol by her side.

* * *

 **So, what do you think about this? Do you want other interludes with Nora's POV every once in a while? I don't know about you, but I really like Kol and Nora together :D**

 **By the way, please, don't be a ghost reader, I love reading your feedback :)**


	14. Chapter 12

**Chapter 12**

* * *

The days following Henrik and Nora's deaths passed in a blur. Kol woke up, ate, dressed, helped with the chores, looked off into space and went to lay on his bed. Then, when the sun rose, he did it all over again. The nights were hard. There were no one to try to steal his covers and sleeping was difficult. There were the nightmares, of course, but there were also his mother, Rebekah and Nik crying. In a way, it was as if their home was haunted, except Kol knew better. Henrik was gone. There was no ghost looking over them. Just their own sorrow and the heavy silence left by someone's absence.

Before he realized it, Kol was standing in the cemetery with the wind whipping his face. The day before, several men had brought a lavishly decorated boat to the place. He had probably been one of them. His muscles were sore and his bones ached. He couldn't remember though. But then again, his mind hadn't really been there. Still wasn't, to be honest.

Henrik's still body was lying peacefully on the small boat. His little brother had been cleaned and dressed with new clothes. He seemed even smaller than Kol remembered. His hands shook and he clenched his fists, not willing to show his sadness to all the village's idiots. Yet, his body wanted to express the despair he was feeling and soon, his eyes were tearful, blurring the scene before him.

Tatia was with Elijah, Finn with their mother, Rebekah with Nik. Kol had never felt more alone.

Sigr, a slave who could have been his sister in another life and time, headed to the boat escorted by two older women. She was walking with her head down and from where he stood, Kol could see her shaking. There were no doubts she was scared but there was nothing she could do to stop this. She would die and, according to his people's faith, serve his brother in the afterlife. As if Henrik would have wanted such a thing. Henrik, his sweet innocent brother. Gods, this was so wrong. So, so wrong.

Words were spoken. He could see his father's lips moving. There were no traces of sadness on the harsh man's face. Henrik died fighting the beats and would meet Odin. Mikael was proud of his little warrior.

Kol was disgusted.

The boat was set on fire. Sigr's screams of pain, fear and anguish, reverberated through the cemetery, and Kol knew it would haunt him forever. His little brother disappeared among the flames. At the end, when the fire finally burned out, all that was left were ashes, burned wood and blackened bones.

Now, all he had to do was share the last meal of the day with his family. Then he would go back to staring into the emptiness that was now his life, trying very hard to not claw his heart out to stop the pain.

XXX

Kol was standing alone at the edge of the forest, his eyes fixed on the tall trees. Their dark shadows looked ominous and he couldn't bring himself to take a step further. It was the first time he approached the forest since that fateful day. All that was left of Nora in her encampment was still there, waiting for him. Going to that place would be admitting she wasn't there anymore, and even though the hole inside him screamed her absence, he couldn't do it.

He had no body to burn, her ashes already gone with the wind, and Tatia and him would be the only ones mourning the beautiful redhead. Earlier, his siblings and he had shared stories about Henrik while drinking a red wine made by their mother. There were tears, very few laughs, and the stark realization that he couldn't do the same for Nora. There were no stories to share with his brothers and sister about the woman he loved. They didn't know her. And they would never do. He might meet her younger version, one day in the future, but what was the point? No matter what he did, she would always be out of his reach, always one foot into the grave.

A faint breath of wind caress his face and he closed his eyes, dreaming it was Nora's hand on his skin with the slightest touch. It was there, with his eyes closed and his mind focused on his skin, that he realized something was wrong.

His mind cleared for the first time in days. There was something crawling under his skin. It was spreading throughout his body, infecting every fiber of his being on its way. His magic was fighting it but to no avail.

It felt wrong, terribly wrong, and his heart plummeted into his stomach.

The snap of a twig startled him and he turned around, his back on the forest despite his uneasiness to do so. Instead of the threat he imagined, his parents were there. Esther was smiling gently at him though he could see the wariness in her eyes. As for Mikael, the man was sneering at him, a bloody sword in his hand.

Kol stiffened. "Mother, father," he said, suspicious and ready to defend himself with his magic. "Were you looking for me?"

"We were, my sweet boy," his mother replied kindly.

She might think she could fool him, but she wasn't. She was wary and the tension in the air told him she was going to use magic. The blood on the sword suddenly drew his attention and a shiver ran down his spine.

"What have you done?" he whispered, his heart in his mouth.

"What needed to be done," she replied, still smiling, "to protect you."

To protect them? No. Magic left a warm feeling when it was use for protection. That thing under his skin, it wasn't some kind of protective magic. It was a curse and she knew it. Otherwise his father wouldn't be there with a bloody sword. Oh god, that blood…

"Where are they?!" he suddenly snarled at them. "What have you done?!" Behind him, the forest growled, imperceptible for everyone but him. All the protective spells he had cast over the last few years in the forest had left its mark. There wasn't a part of the forest not reeking of his magic. And it hurt to think that, because had he been there on that full moon night, or had the bond between Nora and him be older, the forest would have protected Henrik and Nora. And here he was, alone, with a forest as his own army, with no one to protect.

From the blood on the sword, he could already guess he was the last for what his parents had planned. Finn, Elijah, Niklaus and Rebekah… They were already cursed. But Kol wasn't and he had magic. All he had to do was survive the night and he would save them, reverse whatever foul magic her mother had done. And he would survive. As if they could beat him with magic.

Esther opened her eyes wide, feeling the danger. She tried to pacify him. "We made them stronger Kol, so we will never lose a loved one ever again. Let me do the same for you, my beautiful son."

"Have you listened to yourself lately, mother?" he glowered at the older woman, "You speak, but all I hear is madness. You think a curse is what we need? What we need is time to grieve! And you **father** ," he spat the word full of hatred, "here you stand before me when months ago you were crawling at my feet. Do you need a new lesson?"

"Careful boy," Mikael said harshly, his hand clenching around the handle of his sword. "It is time you learn your place."

With that said, his mother held her hands out and began to murmur a spell. Magic filled the meadow and reached out to him, trying to create a net around him so he couldn't move. His own power answered his call and crashed against his mother's. They both stumbled with the backwash. Mikael caught her though, and a branch moved behind his back to keep him from falling.

Once Esther was steady on her feet, Mikael lunged suddenly and crossed the distance, his sword raised. Esther's magic was helping the man but Kol didn't care. Roots rose from the ground and tried to grab his father's ankles and pierce his legs. One went through the man's left calf and Kol coul feel the blood soaking the wood as if it was his hand hurting his father.

"Kol stop! This is not you!" his mother cried out, but he didn't listen to her laments. He was feeling good for the first time since Henrik and Nora's deaths. Magic was rushing through his veins and it was easy now to ignore the curse trying to take ahold of him. Nature was there for him, there was no way he would lose this fight.

His heart was pounding as he raised his hand and Mikael was coughing blood. Oh sweet blood, his so-called father would soon looked like the monster he truly was.

They were dancing, his parents and him. There were fire around them, moving roots and branches. Angry trees and Nature was there, standing by his side.

And then there was blood and a sword in his gut. He stumbled and nothing caught him. He fell against a tree. "Wh-" The rush of magic faded away, leaving him weary and in pain. So much pain. He had… lost?

The bark behind him was warm and he could almost hear Nature mourn for him.

"Oh Kol," Esther cried and tried to reach him. Mikael stopped her and one of his lips curled in disdain, "Leave him Esther! Hopefully, dying here alone will teach **you,** your place. At **my** feet."

"No!" she struggled, "Kol! I am so sorry, I have never wanted to hurt you! I only want you to be safe! Kol! Kol please! "

Mikael dragged her away. She yelled his name several time until all he could hear was his own irregular and painful breath. Never wanted to hurt you huh? What a joke. She had just cursed her children. He leant against the tree, put one hand on his stomach to slow down the blood loss and stared at the night sky.

He was surrounded by magic, strands of his hair floating in the air. Somehow, as his life was fading, the truth about the nightmare that had haunted his night since his childhood was revealed. Nature… had tried to prepare him.

'See you later.' Had Nora known of the curse? Of course she did. It wasn't only Henrik's death she was trying to stop but a curse that would change the world forever. Silly woman…Crazy until the very end.

"Kol!" he suddenly heard. Tatia. He didn't move his head.

She ran to him and dropped to her knees. Her hands went to his stomach. "Gods, no! No! Kol, you need to stay alive! I cannot lose you too!"

"What…are you doing here?"

Tatia looked at him with tears in her eyes, for which he felt guilty. "I heard… I saw…" The tears ran down her cheeks and lifted a hand to wipe them off.

"What…kind of man…am I to make my future…sister-in-law cry?"

She chuckled tearfully, "The very best." She pressed on his stomach. "It does not want to stop."

"I will not die…" Or, well, only for a while.

"This is my fault!" she sobbed. "Esther asked for my blood. She said it would protect you and I… I just wanted to help… Kol, I am so sorry."

Tatia's blood? For the curse… Why? It didn't make any sense. Except if his mother knew something. "Do… you know why?"

She shook her head, "Hardly. I only know of a old story from my father's family. It is said that the Gods themselves cursed our family after one of our ancestors tried to steal a God's immortality."

Their hands were soaked in blood and the precious liquid was tainting the ground beneath him. Just like Nora a few days ago. How ironic.

A curse she said. Oh… And why not? His mother and his father deserved to pay for what they had done. And pay they would. There would not be peace for them after that. Only an eternity of misery.

"Can I…ask you…something?"

He didn't have much time, but it would have to do.

"Of course," she nodded, "anything."

"Can…I take…a bit of your… blood…too?"

She hesitated, unsure. But she knew him rather well so, after a few seconds, asked, "are you going to curse them? Is it even possible from here?"

It was, if one knew soul magic and had something of his victims. And fortunately, he knew and, as their son, shared the same blood than them.

She brought out a knife from her belt and slash her hand. He mixed their blood together and drew on the grass a crimson pentacle.

Soul magic was a very particular and dangerous branch of magic. It wasn't so much the words that were important, but the intent of the magic wielder. So, even as the words struggled to cross the barrier of his lips, his mind was full of hatred and anger and the pure desire to hurt his parents. To make them suffer as they did their own children.

It also required a sacrifice. Which was good, as he was already dying.

"Under the moonlight… tears…of blood on my…face… As the sun…rises… the sorrow… of a lost life… Esther… Mikael…From the moment…your hearts stop beating…decay…pain…and madness would…follow you… forever... No happiness…No…peace…Only your souls…ripped…apart…"

The forest was now humming. Nature approved of his choices. As he breathed his last moment as a human, he marveled at the pain his parents would suffer. No matter what kind of creature they became, his father would suffer an eternity of pain. A decaying body, no matter what he did. A hunger and a thirst never filled. And a madness, oh sweet madness, revealing the monster they truly were. And the best was, there would be no breaking this curse. Well, except if they somehow managed to drink Tatia's blood… mixed with his **human** blood. That was, of course, if they still had their sanity by then. The more pieces of soul they would lose, the less sane they would be.

"Is it done?" someone asked besides him, but he couldn't understand the words. Everything was blurred, the sounds distorted.

A face appeared before his eyes. He was so tired.

"Stay with me Kol!"

Too tired. He welcomed the darkness and closed his eyes.

XXX

When he opened his eyes, there was fire in his throat and something warm pressed against his mouth. A thick but oh so delicious liquid ran down his throat. His hands reached out for whatever was in front of him and squeezed. He wanted more and more. Scents in his nose. Tingles all over his body. An incredible strength filling him. And that sweet thing in his mouth.

Then it was over and everything crashed down.

* * *

 **This chapter was really difficult to write O_o Kol is in a whole new hell, although I guess he kind of got his revenge. I made up the curse phrasing, but the curse idea come from several people, from several websites. I simply combined a few ideas, like curse of madness, curse of hunger and curse of decay + the idea seen from several Harry Potter fic according to which Voldy went crazy because of the horcruxes (not sure it's in the books though)**


	15. Chapter 13

**Chapter 13**

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 **1033, Hungary**

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Kol was walking at a slow pace, licking the blood on his fingers with a lazy smile while humming a melody he had heard before its musician met his death. And what a beautiful death! Fear had sweeten the blood, made it so delicious Kol had moaned when he had tasted it. Even now, hours later, he could still taste it on his fingers. Behind him was now a village full of ghosts and corpses that would soon begin to rot under the hot and glaring sun.

Immortality hadn't come alone and the burn in his throat never truly left him. Not that he tried to quench his thirst. Bloodlust was never boring and he often found himself leaving a trail of bodies behind him. Corpses torn apart and drained of blood. Red suited him well. He could even remember some women - now very dead - telling him it brought out his chocolate eyes. Who was he to deny the world such handsomeness?

The fact that it helped him cope with his raging emotions was never spoken out loud. Not with the witches he spent time with, not with his siblings, not with his mother before her death. The witches were mere acquaintances. Students or teachers, sometimes, never lovers and certainly never more. His siblings treated him like one would an untamable monster. Finn had left them as soon as he could to search for a cure. Although he might have put his search on hold, seeing as the last time Kol heard of his oldest brother, Finn was quite taken with some woman called Sage. As for Elijah, Nik and Rebekah… Well, they had forgotten him in their 'always and forever' vows. He still had asked Rebekah to come with him, but she made it clear she couldn't leave Nik alone. Alone meaning with Elijah. Poor Nik, suffering because of the truth of his birth and the curse repressing the beast inside him. Right. Poor, poor, Nik.

As for mommy dearest… Well, her strangled throat was one of the sweetest memory he had. Her body had still been warm when he had last seen her, blood spot on her face and no magic able to save her. She had coughed blood, what with Nik unable to control his strength. Oh the blood… Red, tempting, teasing, staining her clothes and face. A face caked with mud, forever stuck in a pained grimace and adorned with glassy eyes. Only fear was lacking but well, he couldn't have anything. After all, she did pay the price for her crimes and was surely still paying it in the afterlife thanks to his curse. An eternity of misery for her soul. Nothing less for the woman who killed Tatia and cursed his siblings and him to such a fate.

Before the curse, Kol had thought he knew grief, pain and anger. Never had he been more wrong. While he could now crush a human with a one flick of a finger, his mind and heart were plagued with heightened emotions. Three decades later, his grief for Henrik's and Nora's death was still raw. He still felt like missing a limb because of the loss of his magic, and the gap where Nora's soul had once been was always threatening to swallow him whole.

Yet, he was still there and had never even thought of using the white oak stake he had carved and hidden before burning the tree with his siblings. Life wasn't that bad, when he could forget the loneliness, the pain and the sorrow. There was still blood. When lost in blood, there was no pain and sorrow. There was only blood and pleasure.

There was also, he guessed, his siblings. At least when they remembered he existed. Usually when they needed help with something magic-related. Or when they wanted him to be more discreet as to not drew Mikael to them. As if his father would go after him.

An unhinged smile spread across his face at the memory of Mikael's pained face as the curse took ahold of him. Yes, the man really knew better than to bother him, though Kol would never dare to tell the truth to his siblings. At least, they still visited him when they were worried about him. Was it why Nik had lied about their mother's death? To never be alone? If so, his brother was clearly more successful than himself.

His smile dropped when he heard wails. He had almost forgotten why a whole village had just been slaughtered. With a sigh, he walked to the nearest bush and squatted down. He pushed branches out of the way, not caring the slightest about the wood scratching his skin. Any wound would eventually close up, no matter what he did.

There, hidden among the branches and leaves, tears running down her cheeks, was a little girl with red hair, big green eyes and freckles all over her face. He did have a soft spot for redhead, didn't he?

"Now, now, little darling, what did I tell you about staying silent?" he scolded her and carefully pinched her nose, well aware that one wrong move could end up with her dead. The child didn't say a word but her grip on the cloak he had given her before eating his way through the village tightened. His face softened and he ruffled her hair, rage flashing through his eyes when she flinched. If he could, he would kill all those bastards all over again. "No need to worry sweet pea, you are safe. They will never hurt you again. Now, shall we find that coven of yours?"

Once again, she didn't answer but he noticed how her eyes never wavered from his grey tunic. Glancing down, he saw all the blood stains. Right, children were scared of blood. "Oh, that?" he asked, pointing at his blood soaked sleeve. "It is not blood, I just ate too much berries." He lowered his voice and whispered, "Can you keep my secret please? I am a very messy eater."

There, a chuckle and a nod. Quite the improvement, wasn't it? "Is that a smile? My, my, are you mocking me little darling?" he asked with a hand on his chest, as if he was offended.

The girl, whose name still eluded him, shook her head with a small smile before hiding her face in his cloak.

"It is alright, I am not angry." She quickly peeked her head out of the heavy fabric. "See, not angry at all."

He was going to scoop her up to leave that wretched place when there was a shift in the air behind him. He turned around and caught an arrow a few centimeters away from his right shoulder.

A man stood by the village's entrance, his body shaking with fear. There was blood all over his clothes, yet Kol was sure he wasn't harmed. How had Kol missed him, he would never know. Especially with the horrid smell coming from the man who had clearly wet himself.

"Sweet pea, we are going to play a game, alright?" he asked, his head tilted to one side, not looking away from the pathetic archer. "You are going to close your eyes and sing your favorite lullaby. No peeking allowed."

With that said, his face split into a wide grin while his eyes lost any warmth there had been before, becoming instead cold and hard. Using his vampire speed, Kol was in front of the archer in the blink of an eye. The latter screamed out in fear, fell backwards and tried to move away from him.

"Hmmm, what to do with you, I wonder…" Kol said, tapping his chin.

"B-b-b-b back, demon!"

"Now, that is not a very kind thing to say," he replied with a fake hurt look. Squatting down, he poked the knee in front of him and relished in the cry of pain when his finger sank into the skin and flesh.

"P-p-p-please, l-l-l-let me go," the man begged, crying like a child and wetting himself once more.

With a thoughtful look, Kol grabbed the chin of the disgusting bastard and **squeezed**. The bones cracked and broke. "What about no darling? You people kept throwing stones at that little girl even when she begged you to stop… So, tell me, why do you think you deserve to live?"

The girl's last torturer cried even harder, snot leaking off his nose, still begging Kol to stop.

"What an ugly crier you are darling." He bent backwards the legs until a sharp crack rang out. "A very ugly crier. A bit pathetic, if you ask me." He did the same for the arms before standing up to look at his work. And what a beautiful work it was. All bloody, begging for mercy, calling him a monster. And maybe he was a monster but, honestly, he had stopped caring about that three decades ago after realizing Nature had forsaken him. At least, he had always been aware of the darkness inside him and had never pretended to be a prime example of purity.

He went to the village to find four stakes. Once done, he went back to the vermin laying on the ground who was, this time, praying his Lord to save him.

"You know what darling?" Kol said cheerfully. "I am suddenly feeling generous. You will not die by my hand." The hope in the man's eyes almost made him cackle. "See, I am quite the devout myself and killing another fellow is just a big no-no. Although…" He lost his smile and drove the stakes through the hands and ankles of the man to nail him to the ground. "Not so sure that the vultures reach the same conclusions."

His smile came back and didn't leave his face until he was far from the village, the girl in his arms, still draped in his cloak. Every once in a while, he would glance down and see her face buried in the cloth. Their eyes would briefly meet before she would put her hands in front of her face and peeked through her fingers.

"Does it look familiar?" he asked when they reached a new village, the smell of sweat and human waste reaching his nose.

She squinted before widening her eyes. She then nodded frenetically and pointed to his left. He followed her directions and walked the sinuous dirt track between wooden huts. Looking at the tiny 'houses', remembering a castle in Marseille, he couldn't help but think for the millionth time that the differences between rich and poor in the Old World were almost laughable. It was so different from life across the ocean.

Suddenly, the girl in his arm squealed with joy and tried to leave his arms.

"Mama!" she yelled, unknowingly getting a fond smile of Kol as he dropped her to the ground.

A tired woman came in a rush, her tearful eyes moving left and right before seeing the girl. "Sófi!" she cried and ran to embrace the girl - Sófi. "József! Sófi! It is Sófi! Oh my child, you are home!"

A wounded man appeared at the entrance of the hut, his eyes widening when he saw the little girl. "How?" he asked breathlessly before noticing Kol. He narrowed his eyes and put himself in front of his wife and daughter when he noticed the blood on Kol's clothes. "who are you?"

"A 'thank you' would suffice," he quipped, "no need to be so…agreeable."

"What?"

The man was clearly taken aback from his reply and Kol took pity on him. He turned to Sófi. "Sweet pea, are you not going to introduce me?"

She simply shook his head, though he could see the wide smile on her lips. He chuckled before looking back at the father. "The name is Kol. I found the little darling trying to burn some…very idiotic people."

"Are they…?" József asked while staring at his clothes.

"Dead? Of course they are." Though 'dead' might be a too simple word to describe how they met their end. "Pardon me for the question, but I must ask. How is it that a young witch had found herself being stoned while her parents were still alive, and obviously not looking for her?"

"S-stoned?" the mother looked at her daughter with horror. "But she is unharmed!"

"I healed her," he waved evasively, "no worries. She is fine and healthier than she could ever hope to be. Now, would you please answer me? Quite frankly, I do not like repeating myself."

József looked down to the ground, "Sófi was playing in the field with her magic when the lord's guards saw her. They took her, called her a demon's whore. I tried to save her, of course I did, but I failed." He clenched his fist. "You look like a rich man, sir. Here, we are only poor folks. I have four other mouths to feed. Dying to save Sófi was not worth the death of my whole family."

Lord's guards? Ah. It explained all the weapons they had. Though he did guess that what he had called a village was quite bigger than this one. Thinking about it now, it hadn't been so much as a village than the lord's dwelling. In his bloodlust - and anger, but mostly his bloodlust - he hadn't even realized it.

One thing was sure, that family was quite pitiful. Even if the father wasn't completely wrong, it just rubbed him the wrong way to imagine Sófi dying alone because her father was a lamentable witch. It was stories like this one that made Kol happy to have his siblings. They might not want to be by his side, but they would burn the world for him if he was in danger. Of that he was sure.

"Sir?" Sófi's mother asked him, unsure.

Kol blinked and realized he had been staring down at József. "Well," he began before he stopped, his breath stuck. It was as if the world was right once again. Colors around him looked brighter, people realer. He didn't have a foot in the grave anymore. He felt alive. Complete.

It didn't fell as he remembered it. Slightly less intense than it used to be. But he knew. He just knew.

Somewhere south, Nora - a younger, not yet bonded to him - was there.

"Well," he repeated with joy sparkling in his eyes, "I will take my leave."

He went to turn when the father stopped him. "Wait!"

"What?" he asked rudely, eager to go South.

"You are one of those creatures of the night. Spirits talk about you, about your curse. Can we help you?"

He shook his head, "no, though I thank you for the offer. Many have tried, and all have failed. Besides, there is someone waiting for me in the future."


	16. Chapter 14

**Chapter 14**

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Trees, mountains, villages, the sky and the sun,… everything was blending together as Kol ran, his heart pounding in his chest. There was no time to think, only to run and see Nora again. She would be young, he knew, but he needed to see her, to have her in his arms and feel her warmth. To see her rosy cheeks, full of life. Not the pale face he could still remember when he closed his eyes, the blood splattered face of a woman struggling to breathe.

He left Hungary behind him and arrived in Kievan Rus, a neighboring country of Hungary and Poland. His feet sank into the snow and he narrowed his eyes to block the light of the sun. The wind whipped his face, cold and unforgiving - or at least, he guessed it was.

He entered a village and his senses were immediately assaulted on all sides. The scents of sweat, human wastes, fear, anger and lust permeated the air. Even the sweet scent of blood he could smelt didn't stop him from scrunching his nose. He tried to breathe through his mouth but quickly closed it. That was one of the thing he hated the more about the creature he had become. Heightened senses in human villages.

Still, he didn't stop and ran through the village. Nora was there. He could feel her, her soul calling his, drawing him to her.

He reached the center of the village where all the humans was gathered, crying out in anger and fear. They were waiting for something to happen, and Kol's fingers twitched as dread filled him. Not caring about his strength, he walked into the crowd and fought his way through it.

"Look at the face of the Devil! Trying to make us sinners!" a tall man said harshly as Kol reached the center of the place and froze up. The man speaking had a hard face, looking as if it was stuck permanently in a scowl. Rotten teeth could be seen through twisted lips. He was towering over a naked Nora, the young woman kneeling on the ground and her beautiful face marred by fear and a split lip. "But we will not!"

"We will not!" someone yelled back and was soon followed by other people.

"Death to the Devil!"

"It is trying to take our men!"

Nora cried and begged as the man grabbed her hair and pulled violently, pulling her head back. Her breasts bounced with the movement and her scratched knees briefly left the ground. She tried to reach for her hair but someone threw her a stone, hitting her jaw.

"We will kill the Devil!" the soon-to-be-dead man holding her yelled at the crowd.

"Kill the Devil!"

"Kill that whore!"

"Kill it!"

"Kill her! Kill her! Kill her!"

"Send it back to Hell!"

Nora was still crying and begging in that language of hers when Kol's eyes met hers. There were no relief in the two blue orbs. Barely a flicker of recognition. Only fear and fear and fear.

"Please," she sobbed, and Kol knew she was talking to him this time. "Please. Help me." Her voice broke as another stone hit her and a cold fury filled Kol. He didn't understand why she looked exactly the same as she did thirty years ago. Especially when he knew she was younger than the Nora he met and loved. The one who had loved and known him from day one. The one who could stand for herself and travel alone without fear. The one who killed two werewolves.

How could the Nora in front of him look the same than the one he knew? She wasn't a creature of the night, immortal and forced to gorge on human blood to survive.

Her fear was strong in the air, the smell of it overpowering everything else. He couldn't focus on the scent of the blood on her face, or the pounding hearts around him. Sweat, human waste… it had all disappeared and all he could smell was her fear.

He loved the scent of fear. It usually promised a tasty meal, with the cries of his lunch in the background. Here though, there was no bloodlust, no fire in his throat. Nothing but anger and fury and the need to make them pay for every tears Nora shed. For every single drop of blood that left her body. For every word that had left her lips since they found her. For every bruises he could see on her tanned skin.

He would get his answer later. For now, this younger Nora couldn't defend herself. He would be her sword and destroy everyone who dared to hurt her.

He stepped forward with a fake smile and clapped loudly, the sound startling the people around him. They exchanged wary glances as he slowly made his way to Nora. He only stopped walking when his feet touched Nora's knees. No one here would ever touch her again.

He stopped himself from reaching for her and instead winked at her before glancing up the man still holding her hair, not bothered in the slightest by the future corpse's taller height. His smile widened at the suspicion on the ugly face before him.

"Who are you, stranger?"

Kol easily ignored the sprays of spit and rotten breath and waved evasively. "No one darling, just a mere traveler looking for some … entertainment." He made a show to look around. "Hearing your voices, my curiosity did not let me stay away. It is not, after all, every day that such a… spectacle happens. I must say though, I am not sure if this is a spectacle… or a funeral ceremony." He looked at Nora. "Although, the Devil sure looks pretty."

"Do not let yourself fall for its body," the corpse advised him sternly and glanced down the woman kneeling in front of him, "It is trying to make us lust and sin, appearing before our eyes naked and seductive, but we must prove ourselves strong for the Lord above."

Kol nodded and tapped his chin, "indeed, indeed. It reminds me of a quote I once heard during my travel."

"Oh? And what is it?"

His eyes still on Nora, he said in her language, his tongue stumbling over words he hadn't spoken outloud in quite a long time but had never forgotten, " _don't worry Darling, you're safe now. The world will burn before I let one of these rats lay a finger on you again._ " At his words, her fear began to subside but didn't completely disappear. His finger twitched, desperately wanting to touch her face and soothe her. " _Close your eyes. Everything will be alright._ "

He looked back to the corpse, his stare holding the promise of pain and death, and compelled him, "Let the woman go, tear your eyes out, eat them, and do not move until I tell you so."

Ah the screams. Sweet melody. And they begged. Oh they begged so well. But he didn't care and killed the ones trying to escape.

"Now my darlings, we are going to play a game. It is called 'hide and seek'. I will count to twenty while you hide in the village. Then, I'll look for you and if I do find you… Well, just hope I do not."

They tried to run away and hide in their houses, tripping over each other and hurting themselves in the same time. He watched them coldly, his grin wiped out of his face and his fists clenching. Cowards, all of them.

Not bothering to look at the man on the ground sobbing and bleeding, he removed his coat and wrapped Nora in the soft fabric. He then kneeled down and slowly brought his hand to her face and examined the wound left by the stone. The skin was torn and dirty. Some blood was running down her jaw to her chin but not that much. All in all, it could be worse but was bound to be painful. He sighed and kissed her forehead, ignoring the pain in his chest when she flinched away.

" _Hey,_ " he said softly and used one of his sleeve to remove the blood off her face.

She looked at him cautiously, her lips wobbling a bit, before she said back to him, _"hey._ "

" _Do you know who I am?_ "

She nodded but didn't speak. He laughed a bit before smiling gently at her, " _Well, aren't you going to answer my question darling? Who am I?_ "

And there it was, the defiance in her eyes, mixed with annoyance at having to speak. God he had missed her. " _My stalker?_ "

He grinned, " _I guess I am. Or will be? A bit confusing, that time-traveling thing. Still, I should introduce myself._ " He took ahold of her hand and brought it to his lips. "Kol Mikaelson _, at your service,_ " he whispered and kissed her hand, his lips lingering on her skin. Inwardly, he marveled at the feeling of their skin touching. He could feel her. Feel the fire running through her blood. Feel the strange magic filling her body. For the first time since his mother's betrayal, he could feel magic.

" _Can… Can you let me go… Please?_ " Nora asked in a shaky voice. He immediately dropped her hand and looked at her with worry.

She held onto his coat tightly. His gaze softened. " _Sorry Nora, I didn't want to make you uncomfortable. I've just missed you._ " Which was quite the understatement, but he wasn't going to make a fool of himself and declared his undying love when she clearly didn't know him well. He wondered how old she was.

" _I…It's okay. I'm just…_ " she trailed off, not saying the word but Kol knew what she wanted to say. Obviously, this younger Nora wasn't as comfortable with her body to be almost naked in front of him. " _Anyway,_ " she began to say before looking around. Her eyes fell on the sadly-not-yet-dead-but-now-unconscious moron next to them and screamed, " _Oh my God! Fuck fuck fuck! Not again, please, not again!_ " Her eyes darted around frantically and saw for the first time the dead bodies lying on the ground. She shook her head, " _not again, please, no no no no no._ " She glanced at him and her eyes started to water, " _you killed them…_ "

" _I saved you_ ," he replied flatly, not letting her see the turmoil inside him. He had forgotten about the dead bodies. About his fury. There wasn't even a glimpse of thirst in his throat despite all the blood surrounding them. All he could feel was her, her soul, her scent, her warmth. It was so similar to the memories he had of her, as if nothing had changed. As if he was still a young witch living across the ocean with his family.

But he had forgotten her innocence. She was Nora. But not the one he remembered. The same, but different. Less jaded. Innocent. Afraid.

He wasn't a complete stranger to her, but he didn't know how she saw him. A monster? She had flinched at his touch but hadn't tried to leave. So she trusted him to an extent. Had he reached that limit by killing those people? Even though they only wanted to see her in pain, begging for a mercy she would never get.

" _I-I know,"_ she stammered, " _but… they didn't deserve to die…they should be in prison, not dead! Oh god, they're dead…What am I going to do?_ "

He tilted his head, _"You? Nothing. The blood is on my hand, not yours, okay?_ "

" _But they're dead because of me! You killed them because of me! Because I can't control that fucking time-traveling and end up in some shitty places and times!_ "

He poked her forehead, softly, " _Nora, listen to me carefully. You. Did. Nothing. Wrong. I was the one killing those people. They're not the first I killed, nor are they the last ones. I've killed before, and I'll kill again. It's fun and it's who I am. A killer. A cursed monster who drinks blood and likes it. Admittedly, I won't feed on anyone here, but make no mistake, I'll kill all the people who tried to kill you._ "

" _But it's wrong!_ " she yelled, her fear forgotten as her anger took over, _"Just because you're a vampire doesn't mean you have to be some monster! You're still someone! You see, you speak, you sleep, you fucking live! You're a man! Sure, you have fangs, but you're still man. And I know you don't have to kill to feed! So how can you just kill those people.. How can you?_ " Her voice broke. " _How can you take their life so easily, than say you care for mine? My life isn't more important than theirs? And the children… God, the children…_ "

He stood in front of her, frozen. A … man? Someone? Even with the dead around them, even with the possibility that he had probably already killed people in front of her in the future, she still saw him as a man and not some mindless beast? She still thought him able to control himself, when his siblings had lost all faith in him?

How…strange. Precious.

He bit into his wrist and presented it to her. _"Drink, you need to heal._ " She hesitated but still ended up with her lips on his skin, tears still running down her cheeks.

Bloody hell, he never wanted to make her cry.

" _I'm sorry,_ " he said softly. She snapped her head to him, her eyes widening. " _Not for killing them, but for making you cry. We'll talk about it later, but darling, you need to know something. The time you come from, a thousand years in the future… I'm sure it is a different place. These people you want to see alive, what they did wasn't wrong. They actually did the right thing._ "

She opened her mouth to protest but he quickly put a finger on her lips. " _It was wrong, for me. And for you. They hurt you and you were scared, but for all of them, you were the monster. Not them. And for many other people, you'll also be a monster they need to kill. Most people are unaware of magic, and when they do see it, they think of it as the work of the devil. Being different when you cannot defend yourself, here, it usually means a death sentence. I want nothing more than to protect you from all the evil in the world, to keep you safe from everything dark, but I can't do that because I know you Nora Caldwell. You'll never settle for a golden cage. You see things as they are._ "

He grabbed her hand and helped her to stand up before he took a step back.

" _Thank you,_ " he smiled sadly, " _for seeing me as a man and not just a monster, but I won't lie to you. I won't kill everyone here. I promise you, I won't hurt any child. But I_ _ **will**_ _kill the ones who hurt you. I'll burn their houses to the ground to force them to come to me. Their deaths will be painful and their cries will haunt this pathetic village for years, decades even. And when the time comes and they find a witch or just see someone a bit different, they will think twice before trying to hurt them._ "

She bit her lips and looked at the ground. " _Okay._ "

He raised a brow. " _Okay?_ " Just… okay? Nothing more to say after his tirade?

She nodded, " _Okay._ "

He forced himself to not hug her or touch her more than he already did. " _Then close your eyes and cover your ears, darling. And please, don't hate me._ "

He took another step back but she grabbed his wrist. " _I might not know you that well and I don't agree with what you're going to do, but I do know this. I could never hate you, Kol Mikaelson._ " Then, and only then, she let him go and did as he asked.

He shook his head and smiled fondly. "I love you," he said, well aware that she could not hear him.

He had never told Nora that he loved her. She had known, he guessed, but never telling her was something he regretted deeply. To think that the first time he voiced his feeling aloud would be to an unaware younger version of the woman he loved, so different but still the same, was almost laughable. Yet, it was true. Nora was Nora. At least, now he knew how she felt all those years ago, pledging her love to his human self when all he saw, was a crazy woman.

Anyway, he had people to maim and kill.

"Time is up," he yelled, a mad laugh in his voice and a wicked grin plastered on his face, "here I come."

By the end of the day, mangled corpses were scattered through the village and the people compelled to let them rot where they lied on the bloody ground and to never move away from the village. Only the children escaped such a fate and were only compelled to not touch the dead bodies. Bad germs, according to a disgusted and slightly scared Nora.

Elijah often complained about his lack of self-control. He should show him this memory one day. Fifteen bastards slaughtered, and he had not drunk a single drop of blood. All in the name of love. Elijah would definitely be proud.

Though he would need to edit his memory. No need for Elijah to see Nora naked. Or to know that all the men who had seen her naked on that place but didn't deserve death - according to Nora, that is - were now blind - not that she knew that. Or, more exactly, without eyes. Literally.

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 **That is for chapter 14 :) Hope you liked it. And thanks for the reviews! You're awesome guys!**

 **If I've done my research right, Kievan Rus was a East Slavic state (before Russia). By the 11th century, the country had converted to Orthodox Chirstianity.**

 **See you next time!**


	17. Chapter 15

**Chapter 15**

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They had been walking for hours, the damn village an ugly memory, yet the stench was still sticking to Kol's skin and clothes. His nose would twitch, crinkle, bury itself in his coat, but nothing helped him get rid of the foul smell. He reeked of death, of dried blood, of sweat and human wastes. He could have rolled around with polecats and still smell better.

Nora wasn't doing any better. The rough garments he stole for her were impregnated with the stench of human villages and the scent of fear had yet to leave her. It tainted her natural scent of burning wood. Still, she was lucky and didn't have a keen sense of smell.

Discreetly, he glanced back over his shoulder to see Nora trudge through the snow, weariness present in every lines of her face. Stubborn woman, refusing his help, insisting that she was not a child and didn't need him to carry her. Never mind that he actually wanted to carry her.

The long walk had left her feet bleeding. The heaviness of her garments certainly didn't help and the bearskin coat was dragging the snow along with it. Said coat had earned him a disgusted look when he asked her to wear it. That, and a long - very long - tirade on the necessity to protect endangered animals, until she remembered bears weren't in any danger to disappear in this particular century. So she ranted about the abuse of animals while putting the coat on. Honestly, Kol was pretty sure her reluctance was more because of the smell than something else.

Snowflakes never touched her. They melted before even touching her. The water then simply evaporated, creating a kind of mist around her. In fact, Kol could see the air wrinkling. Which wasn't normal. Not that she was. But still. He frowned. There was something missing. Something big, that he knew but couldn't remember.

"Damn snow, damn village, damn vampire, fuck my life," Nora grumbled for the umpteenth time since they had decided to put as much distance as possible from them and the damn village, despite the setting sun.

At one point or another, she would have no choice but to let him carry her or they would have to sleep outside. And somehow, he doubted this young Nora was as much in search of adventure as the Nora he remembered.

And he really wanted to wash himself. And get rid of the scent of Nora's fear.

Wait. Fear. Nora. Young Nora. Fear?

What could he have possibly forgotten? Something important. Really important.

Behind him, he heard Nora rubbing her arms vigorously and her heart suddenly racing. Curious, he turned back only to stop, breath catching in his throat. There it was, the something missing. Waves of heat and air crinkling and smoke curling around her arms and the tips of her fingers.

* * *

 _"I couldn't control myself at the beginning. I was so scared and could end up a human torch at any time. And when it happens, I time-travel. And space-travel too, I guess, because I can never be sure I will be in the same place."_

* * *

No. She couldn't leave now. Not when he had just found her. Not when he had so many questions for her. Not when she was terrified.

"Are French fries that good?" he suddenly asked her to distract her, even though he already knew the answer.

"Huh?" Her head snapped to him and her hands stopped moving. She let them fall down by her sides and stared at him, bewildered. "Y-yes, they are."

"Just that? You aren't going to tell me about their beautiful golden color, the way they deliciously crunch under your teeth? Or what about how the the grains of salt melt on your tongue?"

Her eyes narrowed, "Why ask the question? You already know the answer."

He shrugged and slowed down to walk by her sides.

"I heard too many of your monologs on the glory of French fries to not know all about them but how they actually taste," he said with a small smile and his eyes locked on the seemingly endless white plain before them. "You promised to make me some, someday."

"Really?"

He nodded.

"And when was that?"

He could feel the weight of her eyes on him, just like he was aware of her every movements. It was hard to ignore, but he had to distract her from her fear and his mere presence was already making her nervous. So he kept his focus on the snow and the snowflakes dancing around them. Unlike Nora, his body temperature wasn't higher than normal. Quite the contrary, actually. The small white pieces of clouds kept coming to rest on his face. Every once in a while, he needed to shake his head to avoid looking like a snowman.

"Thirty years ago, more or less," he answered vaguely even though he was well aware of the exact number of days since the last time he saw Henrik and Nora alive.

"I wonder how many years it means for me," she sighed. "Tomorrow, the next month, in ten years. Hell, it could even be in a century if I have to believe the other you. This time-traveling thing is so confusing."

A lock of hair fell before her eyes at the very moment he risked a glance and, without thinking, brushed it aside, his fingertips lingering on her warm skin. She tensed and he withdrew his hand quickly, angry at himself. So much for not making her nervous.

"Were we…close?"

The words hung heavy in the air and he wasn't sure how to answer that.

"I mean," she continued, "no matter the time I'm in, you always make it sound as if we are… some legendary lovers out of a damn fairytale. One drenched with unicorn's sparkling vomit. The only thing that's missing is the old wicked witch with a boil on her nose and a cat named Azrael."

Well, that was quite the disturbing picture but still… "Because she's already dead. And didn't have a cat. Nor a boil on her nose. And she wasn't actually that old."

Nora raised an brow, "Really?"

"Who know?" he said, a teasing smile playing on his lips. "Try to guess Darling."

Her teeth dragged across the skin of her lips for a few seconds. "Then I think you are jesting."

"If that's what you want to believe, then I guess it's true."

"Cute," she deadpaned, "and creepy."

He chuckled then inhaled deeply. Underneath the stench, the smell of fear had decreased. Oh it was still there, an unwanted addition to her natural scent, but it wasn't as strong as before.

He tilted his head back and watched the sky. Clouds were darkening, a clear sign that the night wasn't far away. Somewhere, animals were growling, hungry, and he could hear the barely perceptible cry of someone being eaten alive by a pack of wolves. Not the most beautiful or cleanest death, and it reminded him too much of Henrik's own end, but he still ignored the noise and focused instead on the breathing of the young woman by his sides. It wasn't Henrik. Only a man he knew nothing about. He couldn't help everyone. He was not able to do so, nor had he the desire.

Without warning, he scooped Nora up in his arms and quickened the pace.

"Hey! Hands off!" she shrieked and ordered him.

It was quite the pity that he had never been good at following orders.

"Yeah, not going to happen Darling," he replied cheekily, "I would like to find shelter before I die."

She twisted and twisted and twisted but nothing. Her strength was nothing to his own. And yet, her fear didn't rise up. Unlike the volume of her voice. "You can't die! You're a fucking immortal!"

"Exactly."

She struggled to calm herself and tried a new angle. "Look, I get it." Oh, he was going to enjoy that. "You're a man of the Middle Ages and you are convinced that I am some poor weak woman in need of your protection just so you can prove your masculinity. But I am a modern woman! And I refuse! And I mean it, I REFUSE to be treated like some common sack of potatoes!"

"Potatoes?" he wondered aloud, "that thing for French fries? You won't find it here Darling. Wrong time period. And have you seen many 'men of the Middle Ages' carrying sacks in such a way?"

"W-Well, no, not really," she spluttered, "but! I have two damn nice legs and they're meant to walk!"

His lips spread into a full grin. "They sure looks nice." He ignored the indignant yells that followed and continued, "Although, judging by the scent of blood, I'm not so sure you feet look as nice as your legs right now."

That has the merit of shutting her up and he dared to believe he had won the argument. Sadly, the stubborn woman had a way to make his head hurt.

"You can smell my blood?" she whimpered. "Fuck, fuck, fuck, I forgot. Please, tell me you don't want to eat me."

He rolled his eyes and tightened his hold on her when she started moving again. Was it some kind of revenge for the way he acted with the older Nora? Damn, time-traveling really was confusing.

He sighed deeply. "Yes, I can smell your blood, and no I don't want to eat you," he replied, disgust in his voice at the idea of hurting her. Nora just wasn't food. She was Nora, and that was it.

"I don't smell good then?"

Really? That was what she was asking? And was that hope in her voice? Had she always been that confusing? He couldn't remember for the life - un-death - of him.

"You do." Well, if one could forget the current stench of death, sweat and all. "You just don't smell like food."

"Oh thanks God," she breathed out and briefly closed her eyes in relief. "I really didn't want to be in a creepy Twilight situation, with a vampire dude lusting after my blood. 'Canse I'm no Bella Swan and would totally end up dead. Already did, actually and that was no pretty. The creepy dude? Check. The run in the forest? Double check. Add to that a clumsy fall fown a hill and a fucking hole in the stomach and you get a time-traveling fire girl with her personal vampire stalker. At least you're nice to look at. Not that it helps the situation or your stalker tendencies. I mean, stalkers are stalkers, no matter how nice looking they are. Meyer really shouldn't have romanticized the idea because Edward watched her sleep for fuck's sake! TV might have tried to make it look cute but reality is completely different! The girl is bound to fart or drool at one point or another! Kind of a way to kill a love before it even begins!"

Vampire? Kol guessed she was talking about him. The words had crossed her lips several times to speak about his condition and it didn't sound so bad. It was certainly shorter than "creature of the night" or the even longer version, "blood-drinking creature of the night, burning in the sunlight if not for a magic ring given by a witch who had been dead for thirty years and whose soul was still suffering thanks to a pretty little curse."

On the other hand, Twilight? What did the twilight have to do with a Bella Swan and a Meyer, he had no idea. But then again he hadn't actually understood much from her rant. Aside from the passage regarding her dead, something he had had no desire to know. Especially when he could imagine the scene all too well and the 'vampire' who had hurt her was not yet born. One thing was sure though, the idiot was already dead. Why the future version of himself hadn't saved Nora, he could only guess, but one way or another he would avenge her.

"Although," Nora continued to ramble, "I know you can sleep so you can't actually be a Edward creepy stalker, just a stalker. Well, a creepy one, but not a Edward creepy one."

"Darling," he cut her off, "I know you like to ramble when you feel uncomfortable, but could you stop calling me a stalker? I haven't done a thing to you. Besides saving you, that is."

"Yet," she denied, "You haven't done anything yet."

* * *

 _"I told you, you always find me. You help me. Now, I can control myself."_

* * *

"I'm pretty sure my future self is merely looking after you, because he l-cares for you very much," he said softly.

A sigh escaped her and all the energy seemed to leave her. Melancholy and sadness filled and darkened her blue eyes, making her look older than she actually was. Of course, he didn't know how old she was, but he was quite certain that she hadn't been traveling through time for long. That her death had been quite recent, thus the stench of fear sticking to her.

" _I only travel when I feel one particular feeling."_ She had once said to him. At the time, he hadn't known what. Now he knew. Fear. Or more exactly, sheer terror. The kind that poisoned the air around her, made her choke and burst into flames. A way to escape a reality she couldn't accept.

"I know that. I know it too well. I'm a modern woman…incapable of surviving in the past without your help."

Her voice was full of bitterness and self-loathing. In an instant, her life had changed. She lost her freedom and her independence. The time she was born in was different. Until her death at the hand of another, she had led a sheltered life where her survival wasn't left to the whim of someone she barely knew. It wasn't odd, in those conditions, that she was scared. At the end, stalker was only a word to say her survival depending on him.

"Is it that bad?" he asked, his voice suddenly feeling hoarse. "Having me by your sides to help you?"

She raised her eyes to meet his and bit her lips. "It shouldn't be," she said quietly, her face twisted with pain and anguish, "except when your stalker-self promised me to always be there for me, no matter when I am, then the one time I truly needed him, he never showed up and left me to die. Again."

His heart missed a beat and he found it hard to breathe.

"…What?"

"Yeah, I know, difficult to believe. But I was there so I didn't have much of a choice at the end."

"I don't understand."

And he didn't, really. He didn't understand why his future self would have abandoned her even though, in retrospect, there were several hypothesis to explain his absence. His future-self could be stuck somewhere and without any knowledge of the danger she was in.

And he didn't understand what she meant by dying again.

"…Before I got here, I was in France, in 1789," she began to say and drew the coat closer to her body, shivers running along her spine that had nothing to do with the cold. "And you weren't there. At first, I didn't think much of it. I just thought you were somewhere far. I don't really understand how you always know where I am, but you do so I decided to wait in Paris. My French was a bit rusty but I managed. It was hard and I had to sleep under a bridge a few nights, but then I met a girl and ended up working at the bar of a brothel. For the first time, I thought I could manage by myself and actually survive. I wasn't scared all the time anymore and I stayed there for two months. Before, the longest I had stayed was three weeks so I was proud of myself. Then a revolution broke out, the people rioted, and I died. Not with a bang, or anything. I died a second time, and it was pathetic." She began to laugh bitterly. "Can you imagine that? Me, trampled by a scared horse."

Two months. Two months and he never found her. Could he actually die at one point in time? What other explanations were there? He only died once, the night his parents cursed him to an undead existence, and he had no desire to do so again.

And yet Nora died. Strong, beautiful, brave Nora died. Again. How scary was it, to die not once but twice? No, scratch that, she also died thirty years ago. The woman he loved died, trying to save his little brother. She was dead, mere ashes long lost in the wind.

Fear. It wasn't death itself that made her traveling through time, but the fear of death. And Nora knew. It was hard to swallow the truth, so damn hard, but she had known when she told him to go find Henrik. She had known she was going to die. She died scared, and he hadn't been by her sides.

* * *

 _"See you later"_

* * *

That was what she meant. See you later. Thirty years ago, her death hadn't been the last time she breathed.

She was dying and scared and even there her last words had been for him.

His heart sank and his eyes burned. That kind of love… left an aftertaste of ashes in his mouth.

"Totally pathetic, isn't it?" The young Nora asked, shaking him out of his own nightmare. He would ponder over his possible future doom and the tragic death of the woman that, in the end, he had never loved enough. Looking down, he looked over Nora's face as if to carve the memory of her in his mind. She looked so fragile in his arms, but he knew perfectly that beneath her frail appearance was the strongest woman. She only needed a bit more time to find her strength. And wasn't it ironic, that she would need time when time itself was the source of her anguish?

"No," he said firmly, "not at all. I admire you, actually. You are stronger than you think."

She shook her head. "I can't live without you, and I don't mean in a romantic way. You call that strength you?"

"You asked me before, and I didn't answer, but yes, we were close thirty years ago. I like to think I know you. Obviously, I don't know everything about you, but enough to say that you are the strongest and the bravest woman I have ever known."

"But I'm not that woman you're speaking about."

"Not yet, maybe, but you aren't that different. You ramble and swear like a warrior. You know, I've met warriors who next to you would look like ladies. Point is, I know you, and you are a wonderful woman Darling."

She glanced away, a blush adorning her cheeks. It stirred something, deep inside him, and he couldn't help the fond smile on his lips.

"Really?" She asked him shyly. "Even if I can't live without you and I'm going to be like a leech for all your immortal life… that is, when you don't leave me to die."

Ouch. Was it possible to feel guilty for something he had yet to do? At least, she didn't sound as bitter as before.

"Really Nora," he said and squeezed her thigh. "And you'll definitely be the cutest leech I've ever seen."

She pulled a face. "Thanks, I guess. Creepy stalker."

"You know, you can just use my name. Kol. K-O-L. Creepy stalker makes it sound like I'm some… What was the word? Ah, yes, a pervert."

She snorted. "Right, K-," she waited a bit before she smirked and continued, "creepy stalker."

"Can't I at least be upgraded to handsome stalker?"

"…Maybe."

"Thanks Darling," he said with a drawl, "you make me feel all warm and fuzzy. Now, let's find us some place to get our beauty sleep, shall we?"

"Okay," she grinned, her first true smile, "creepy handsome stalker."

There was just no winning with her, he thought fondly. She was laughing at her own wittiness. Her fear had completely disappeared from her scent and her eyes were sparkling. That, Kol realized, was a memory he would cherish until his very end.

* * *

 **End of chapter 15!**

 **Sorry for the late update, this last month had been quite difficult as my uncle killed himself. While we weren't close anymore, it was still a shock and I simply wasn't in the mood to write. Now, it was his choice and I respect it, but I would still like to say that if anyone here feel like they have reached the end of their rope, know that there are people who will listen to you and maybe see something that you, stuck, cannot see yet.**

 **Anyway, see you next time guys, you're all awesome! ;)**


	18. Chapter 16

**Chapter 16**

* * *

"Let me get this straight," Nora said, a spoon twirling in her hand and bits of millet porridge landing on the table, "your mother was a less bearded version of Merlin and decided that changing her children and the dastard she called husband into vampires was the best way to protect them from werewolves?" She snorted. "Talk about overprotection."

"Do not forget the part where she and daddy dearest killed us. And who is Merlin?"

After finding a minor lord and his castle the night before, Kol had been quick to compel him to give them free lodgings for the duration of their stay. The lord and his household were also forbidden to ask any question or even speak about them outside the walls of his dwelling. Kol had then claimed the whole guest wing. His initial plan had been to leave the castle in order to feed in the surrounding houses once Nora had settled in her room, ready for bed. However, a good initial plan wasn't one if it didn't fall through. As he went to leave Nora's bedroom, she had caught his wrist and thanked him for saving her and not leaving. She thanked him. Him. Now, he had been thanked before. Usually by people he never saw again. By people he actually cared about though? No. In the last three decades, his siblings had certainly never thanked him, no matter how many times they had asked for his help. As for Nora… Well, she was dead.

And now the younger version of the redhead had thanked him, even though she only knew him as the man who left her to die in France. It had been as sudden as unexpected and he had almost fallen in love all over again with the woman looking at him with frank eyes, without any disgust or fear for the monster he was. Only a true gratitude, a sign that she was perfectly aware of what he had done for her.

After that, he had waited before her closed door, a lost expression on his face, unable to bring himself to leave the castle walls, even once her breathing changed to regular and deep breaths.

Inside these foreign walls, in a time she knew nothing of and which terrified her, she had fallen asleep quickly. Maybe he was overthinking it, maybe he was only projecting his own desires, but it did look like a sign that she trusted him to protect her. Despite her disgust at having to be dependent on him, she did feel safe with him around.

With that in mind, he went to feed on the lord and his wife. They were still alive and healthy, barely tired from the small amount of blood he took. Even now, sharing the morning meal with Nora, he felt no thirst, no desire to lose himself in the blood until only the vampire remained.

"Merlin is," Nora began before she stopped and frowned, her spoon still twirling, "a major future spoiler so I'm going to close my mouth and you, sir, are going to forget I ever talked about the legendary god-like warlock."

He raised a brow, his lips drawn back in a mocking grin, and only had to wait for a few seconds before she realized, cursed loudly and hit her head on the table. It was a good thing he had given the command to be left alone in the dinner room.

"Now Darling, there is no need to hurt that pretty little head of yours," he said with a falsely haughty tone of voice before kindly patting the top of her head.

"I'm so bad at this," Nora muttered and a slight change in her scent told Kol all he needed to know. Meaning, a possible panic attack. It was only the second since she woke up, which was quite the improvement in comparison with the day before.

"You are doing just fine Nora. Look, I promise you to forget all about this Merlin until I meet him. Alright? Now, raise your head and admire my handsome-self and think about how lucky you are to be able to do so. It is, after all, quite rare for lowly people to be in the presence of such perfection."

She lifted up her head and tossed a pea at him, only to pout when he caught it with his mouth.

"The only place you are going to meet him is in a book and," she narrowed her eyes, amused, "we would not want you to hurt your pretty head, would we?"

"You, Darling, are evil."

"Why, thank you honey," she replied, her voice dripping with sarcasm.

If she noted the hitch in his breathing or his eyes widening, she didn't say anything. Instead, she tossed him a pea again, which he caught out of habit, and went back to their initial conversation.

"From what I understood, your asshole father killed you and your mother helped him. Now, I didn't study Law, but I am pretty sure these are different crimes with different sentences."

"Well, from **when** I am from, it is all the same. In both case, the sentence is death. Besides, even if I admitted, which I do not, but if I were to admit these are two different crimes, it doesn't change the fact that it is still a crime. What my mother did was wrong."

"Of course it was!" Nora exclaimed. "No mater her reasons, she should never have hurt you and your siblings. The road to hell is paved with good intentions."

While he had never heard of the proverb, the meaning was quite easy to understand. Still…

"Her reasons?" he hissed. His fist clenched and crushed the metal cup he was holding. The beer it contained spilled and spread across the table. "I'll tell you, her reasons. For my mother, protecting her children only meant letting Mikael treat us with contempt and beat Niklaus. That is. Nothing more. I lost my magic because of that so-called need to protect us."

"To be fair, she was married to an awful man."

He glanced at her, puzzled.

"She was a witch," he stated. "A powerful one at that, and Mikael a mere man. Cruel, for sure, but without any magic in his blood. Do not make her look like a victim, please. She was just as crazy as Mikael."

Nora rolled her eyes and dropped her chin in the palm of her free hand. With the other, she pointed her spoon at him.

"Kol. You are a man." She then used the spoon to point at his crotch. "See that thing between your legs?"

He nodded but didn't dare to speak, his cheeks heating and eyes darting around the room.

"Well, in case you had never noticed, my dear creepy stalker… In what I call the Past, to many people, having a penis gives you power over women. Apparently, being born with something dangling between your legs gives you the right to dominate women."

He opened his mouth but she didn't let him speak.

"Obviously, the idea is stupid but many people think it is a reality. Men feel superior to women and women… Well, they have spent so long living in such a way that the majority of them would never even dream to rebel against the patriarchal system. So yes, your mother might have been that powerful witch but, at the end of the day, she was also a woman. Ergo, submissive to her husband."

He frowned, unable to completely deny Nora's theory.

"Submissive to the point of changing us into blood drinking creature, something completely against Nature?"

"Well, she had just lost her child. And your father killed you, so he was a part of the decision. It is possible she only followed him, what with that mentality that men know better than women. Add to that grief, and you can have truly stupid decision. Like, cursing her children to an eternal life to protect them."

"And cursing Niklaus's beast?"

"Once again, submissive woman. She was scared of her human husband, so her vampire husband? And that's without the fact that her child was killed by werewolves… Honestly, someone else might have acted differently but who knows? It is easy to judge when you don't know everything or when you are not in the situation."

"Like you are doing," he pointed out, "as you don't know Esther."

She took a bit out of the porridge and nodded vigorously while she was chewing.

"Exactly," she said after she swallowed. "My theory isn't wrong, just like yours isn't. At the end, she might have been completely crazy. Who knows? She's dead, it's not like we can ask her."

No, indeed. And even if they could, Ko doubted the curse had spared the little sanity she might have had once. Still, he couldn't completely discard Nora's theory and could admit, in the privacy of his mind, that it did make sense.

"I will thing about it," he conceded.

"Good," she smiled at him before going back to her meal.

He suddenly felt the desire to continue their discussion and discover what other theories she could have.

"And my father? What could his reasons be?"

She glanced at him, cheeks puffed out like a fish, swallowed and took a mouthful of water.

"He's a dick. A scumbag and nothing else. Frankly Kol, I do not care if his childhood was miserable or if he had some mental health problem. He beat a child. Beating children is just a big no-no."

"I see… And…" He hesitated for but a moment before he continued with a smirk. "My siblings?"

She pushed her plate aside and rested her elbows on the table.

"What about them?"

"Any idea why they only come to me when my help is needed? Or why they act as if my mere presence disgust them?"

She frowned and began to tap on the table.

"Honestly?"

"Yes," he answered, already ready for a long tirade questioning everything he thought he knew regarding his family.

Or a cutting remark on his difficult and annoying personality.

"Before… Paris, I stayed with you for four months. During that time, I have time-traveled six or seven times, at least. It is the first time I am so far in the past but I have never met your siblings. Not even once. There was one time where Elijah came to see you, and I had to stay in my room. The older you actually told me that I cannot ever meet them."

"You mean he compel you," he cut her off.

"No, I can't be compelled. He just told me and he was completely serious, without that constipated smirk you are doing right now." Did he? How interesting… and worrying. "You might be a creepy stalker, but you aren't stupid. And you're my stalker, so I have to be on your side. My conclusion is that until you prove me wrong, your siblings are just a bunch of fools. Although…"

Her voice trailed off and he leant forward.

"Yes," he whispered.

"Maybe they were just jealous of your incredible handsomeness?" she chirped before she opened her eyes wide, as if shocked. "Or maybe they are desperate to forget their forbidden love for you and decided to stay away while their burning passion abate. Unless the three of them are in a torrid and carnal relationship with each other, a vampiric threesome contrary to the social norms of this time. Ashamed of themselves, they hide from your eyes while they continue to live in sin. Your brother Finn is aware of this but cannot bring himself to reveal the truth to you, so he too stays away."

He blinked.

"They are my siblings," he deadpanned.

"Yeah, that would be weird, wouldn't it?" she said with a wry smile.

His lips twitched. "Indeed."

He rose from his chair and leant over her. Her heart was pounding in her chest and she struggled to find her breath. As he brought his face close to her, blood rushed to her cheeks and colored the skin.

Even when he got close enough to feel her breath on his face, there was no fear in her scent. He grinned.

"Thank you Darling."

And carefully nipped at her nose. He backed away from her before she even had time to realize what he did and easily avoided the flying plate. And the spoon. And the cup. All the while cackling.

When she had nothing to toss at him, she threw her arms in the air and blew on a lock of hair before she glared at him. "I am so going to bite you."

"Sounds interesting. Can I have a demonstration?"

"God you're such a pain in the ass!"

She turned on her heel and walked away like a fury. In a second, he was by her side, looking at her curiously.

"Are you really angry? If so, you have my apology for my improper behavior," he said contritely.

She didn't look away from the door and simply reached out to him.

"Give me your hand, please," she ordered him.

Curious, he obeyed, put his hand in hers, and stared, bewildered, as she brought their joint hands to her mouth. Had the custom of hand-kissing changed along the centuries?

Then…

"Bloody hell!"

She bit him! She bit his finger! That little crazy bit of woman had bitten his finger!

"See?" she smiled innocently. ""Told you I was going to bit you."

He flicked her forehead.

"Next time you need my finger, just ask."

"Hmmm… Who know, I might take you on that."

She tossed her hair on his face and left the room, her head held high and a haughty smile on her lips.

Well, best to follow her before other men took her smile as a cue to bed her. Somehow, he doubted she would appreciate being seen as a woman of ill-repute and easy virtue because of a smile on her face.

On their way to the garden, they met the lord and his lady wife. Nora folded her hands before her and gave their hosts a polite smile. The man looked her up and down, clearly interested, while his wife glared at Nora as if the redhead was nothing more than vermin. Obviously, Kol had not taken enough blood the night before. He would not make the same mistake twice.

"Hey stalker," Nora asked when they were alone," may I ask you something?"

He looked down at her, a brow raised.

"Could you compelled those two morons to serve their servants and sleep in the stables for the next two weeks please?"

"Considered it already done Darling," he chuckled.

He opened the door leading to the garden and let her go first. It wasn't snowing. The sky was clear and the sun well present but the wind was cold. Nora sat on a low wall protected from the previous bad weather by a few rudimentary wooden planks. She stretched her legs out and smoothed the folds of her dress.

"So, what now?" she suddenly asked, breaking the comfortable silence.

He walked the few steps between them and crouched down before her. His cheeks burned slightly when he lifted the hem of her dress to reveal her ankles. He ignored it and removed a shoe to put the foot on his lap. The wounds from the previous day were already healed but they were still a few scabs on her heel and the sole of her foot. He began to rub it softly and raised his head. His eyes met Nora's.

"Now," he murmured, "we are going to make the most of the time we have to teach you a bit of self-defense so that you can be the 'modern-woman' you are, even in these remote times."

Her heart skipped a beat. "Kol…"

"And maybe I could answer a few of your questions."

"Really? Even if there are many of them?"

He pressed too hard on a muscle and she startled. He apologized and tried to be more gentle.

"My older-self didn't answer you?" he asked, surprised.

She glanced away and played with a strand of hair.

"I…It is rather that I didn't ask him. To be honest, I haven't been really kind," she admitted with regret. "I even called him a monster, once."

"Oh? Is that so? I am sure it was well-deserved," he used aloud.

"No," she denied vehemently. "I was scared and stupidly thought you were the Grim Reaper. Fear dictated my words and I now know that I shouldn't have judged your actions without trying to understand them."

He didn't need to be a genius to understand what she meant. Obviously, she had found him in the middle of carnage. Not a sight he wanted for her.

"Darling, I am no Saint," he said kindly before taking her other foot in his hand. "I told you, I have killed before and will kill again. You, on the other hand, should never have to fear me, for you mean more than words can express. However, should you find yourself again in such a situation, with a person other than me, please, do not try to understand their motives. Just run. There is no shame in running away when facing a threat."

"You mocked those who tried to escape in the village," she recalled, confused.

"They weren't you."

"Double standards then?"

"Call it what you want Nora. As long as you stay alive, I don't care. Especially when I know I won't be able to always be there for you." He put her shoes on but stayed on the ground, her feet on his lap and his hands on her ankles, his thumbs drawing circles on her skin. "Anyway, your questions?"

She let go of her hair and slightly leant forward to stare at him.

"What do you mean by not being able to be there?"

He lifted a hand to caress her cheek and the contours of her face. There were many feelings in the eyes watching him. Too many, maybe. Hope, affection, he dared to think, curiosity. Fear was absent. His thumb stopped at her lips, the skin soft and supple. Fire met him and he savored the warmth and the feeling of being alive.

"Exactly that Darling. I can't speak for my future-self but believe me," he stopped, eyes closing for a second, and repeated the words, "believe me, I can't stand the thought of you facing Time alone. I can't die Nora. I am immortal. But, even then, there are still forces capable of stopping me. I promise you though, only the complete incapacity to move will stop me from looking after you, no matter the time you are in."

He waited with bated breath for her to speak. Eventually, she reached for his hand, intertwined their fingers and rested them on her lap. She gazed at the innocent limbs.

"I believe you…"

"Thank you Nora."

She shook her head and he felt the squeeze of her hand. "No Kol, thank **you**."

There was a glimpse of eternity at the end of his fingertips. He was touching Time and Life and Magic itself.

Feeling a bit self-conscious, he cleared his voice and asked, "so, next question?"

Her face creased into a sudden smile, eyes sparkling with amusement. "Well, there is this question that has been on my mind ever since I read my first love story between a vampire and a human."

"Yes?" he said warily.

"Do you poop?"


	19. Chapter 17

**Chapter 17**

* * *

"Wake up sleepy head!" Kol chirped as he opened wide the thick and heavy curtain. "We have a very busy day ahead of us."

A fresh wind blew through the opening and the room suddenly got colder as light flooded in. From the bed, the shapeless mass hidden under several quilts let out a groan and Kol avoided a flying pillow. It flew all the way through the window and ended up outside in the mud.

"Your aim is improving," he said cheerfully.

"You. Out." Nora growled at him.

He crossed the distance between them in a few strides and sat on the bedspread, a leg folded over the other and his elbow resting on one of his knees. Nora didn't bother to move away, preferring instead to bury herself deeper under her covers. The only thing visible was the top of her head and her long red hair fanned out across the pillow in an odd but strikingly well-done imitation of the Gorgon Medusa.

His eyes twinkling in amusement and his lips tilted in a smirk, he pulled on the quilts to reveal her face and used just enough strength to make sure she couldn't stop him. Blurry, sleepy eyes glared at him before Nora sighed and rubbed her eyelids. She then sat up, the covers falling down on her lap. The white fabric of her nightdress was too thin for his eyes to not see right through it and he had to force himself to keep his eyes on her face.

"Now Darling," he said while snatching a lock of her hair to twirl it around his finger, "did you hear me? We have many things to do today and, sadly, not enough time."

"It is too early," she muttered, barely understandable.

As she tried to moisten her chapped lips, Kol grabbed the cup of water he had brought for her. She took him without a word, her brain still too asleep to truly think, and chugged it in one gulp. Slowly, the last remnant of sleep disappeared from her eyes.

He wasn't close enough to feel her breath on his skin but the soft sound of her heart beating inside her chest was one of the most beautiful music he had ever heard. The way it sped up the closer he got, in particular, made him wish he could kiss the skin under which her heart was hidden. Sitting face to face, their eyes met for a too short moment.

"Nora, for you, it is always too early for anything," Kol chuckled while slightly moving back, only too aware of the shiver running down her spine.

It was happening more and more often as of late. She had always looked at him, even when she was scared, but now her gaze were different. Softer, sometimes, with a glimpse of something he was sure was reflected in his own eyes. The sound of his voice, especially when he laughed, never failed to left her shivering. He particularly adored seeing the blood rushing to her cheeks and listening to her pounding heart.

"Besides," he continued as if nothing had happened, "the roosters are all out, have already sung and gone around the barnyard. They even had enough time to woo a few hens."

"And I suppose you had a front-row seat to admire them," she replied in amusement, her tiredness already forgotten.

"Of course I was," he grinned, "someone had to be there to support that little white hen and her remarkable efforts to ignore the rooster in front of her."

Her eyes briefly went to the hair he had in his hand but she said nothing. Instead, she glanced back at him, the warm blue of her gorgeous eyes shining. The grouchy mood that always accompanied her awakening was gone and in its place was a serenity that left him breathless for a few seconds.

"Are you speaking about the chicken Svetlana calls Lunch?"

"Yes," he said solemnly. Or at least, as solemnly as he could manage.

"The poor dear, he is very unlucky."

"That he is."

Svetlana was the youngest daughter of the old lord whose castle Kol and Nora were currently living in. The man was fifty-four years old and the proud father of eighteen children, five of them birthed by his wife, the rest birthed by his many mistresses. Four of these women were living in the castle and none of them were above twenty-seven years. One of them, Mary, the mother of Svetlana, was only fifteen years old and befriended Nora after the lord gave the young mother the order to serve her. To say Nora despised the old man was an understatement. She hated him, and Kol could admit, at least in the privacy of his mind, that Nora's contempt influenced the way he viewed the lord. To the life of him, Kol couldn't held the man in high esteem. Nevertheless, he couldn't deny the fact that the women of the household were rather well treated and weren't lacking in anything. They had enough to eat, were all clothed and protected from the harsh winds always sweeping through the country. The old man never whipped them and only asked for their company to warm his bed. He didn't force them, even though he had the right to.

With a sigh, Kol brought the lock of hair to his mouth and breathed in. They smelled like her, fire and wood burning, but he could also detect the slight fragrance of the dried flowers Mary added to the water of the bath.

Nora cleared her throat and turned her head away, a blush on her cheeks and neck.

"So, what do we need to do today that I have to wake up this early?" she asked.

"Well," he began, letting go of her hair, "training with a sword for once, seeing as you have yet to disarm me even once. "

"What?!" she cried out. "How fair is that? You are a freaking vampire, of course I won't win against you! Besides, I am still sore from the day before."

"Tsss," he shook his head in false disappointment, "here you are, stopping at a mere difficulty. I am so disappointed Darling."

"A mere difficulty," she hissed without any true anger, "a **mere** difficulty?" She poked at his chest. "Do you want us to switch bodies, just so you can understand how being sore is annoying! I am pretty sure there must be a spell for that, isn't it?"

"Perhaps." He leant forward, enjoying the way her breathing hitched and her tongue licked her lips nervously. "I certainly wouldn't say no to being inside you, Nora," he continued in a low, seductive voice. The effect was ruined though when his eyes fell on her bare collar bone and the top of her breast, making him take Nora's place in the contest for the brightest blush on the face.

Nora's laugher chased away most of his embarrassment, although it still took a few minutes before he dared to look at her again. Clearly amused, the red-haired pushed him away to get out of bed and slipped her feet into her slippers.

He regarded her for a moment, there standing in the sunlight. Soft and beautiful, yet strong and resilient, just like the light. Once he was on his feet too, he covered her with a long shawl.

"You have yet to tell me what other activities we will do today," Nora said as she crossed her arms under the warm fabric, though he knew she wasn't cold.

"Indeed…Should I though?" he teased her.

"If you want me to come with you, yes," she replied, scratching her hand absently.

"Oh, you hurt me Darling. Don't you trust me enough to follow me to the end of the world?"

"The earth is round Kol," she deadpanned, "good luck finding its end."

"Yet you don't deny you would follow me," he quipped.

Several months had passed since the day he had found the younger version of the woman he loved. It was easy to find the latter in the young woman in front of him, and even easier to lose himself into her eyes, to forget the bloodlust and the pain he had been dragging for more than thirty years now. Every day, he re-discovered Nora, and the moment they shared together never failed to make him happy. All wasn't perfect, far from it, but he couldn't help but smile genuinely as she shyly shrugged.

"Someone has to stop you from treating every village like an all-you-can-eat buffet."

"What," he exclaimed with false shock, "I would never!"

"Really?" she drawled, her brow raised in disbelief.

"Of course," he nodded, "old people just don't taste good. And children don't have enough blood."

She shook her head in annoyance, then pinched his left cheek.

"Don't try to change the subject, honey," she said softly, eyes narrowed. "Where are we going to after training?"

"Before, actually. And could you release me please? It is a bit hard to speak, as a matter of fact."

"I am not sure, it is quite entertaining to see you try to speak."

"Now Darling, this is not very nice."

"Who said I was," she replied, beaming even though she did let him go. "So, where?"

"To a market in the next town. A reliable source informed me of the coming of a certain future-reading witch today. He must have heard the region was now safe for witches."

"Kol Mikaelson, defender of widows and orphans, of witches and time-traveler. And of lovely kittens."

"Hey," he interjected, "it was only one kitten."

They continued their conversation in a humorous tone, teasing each other in turn, until the door of the chamber opened and Mary entered with a bucket full of water. She scanned the room and quickly turned around when she saw them close to each other. The bucket fell to the ground, the water spilling on carpet.

"My lord, I didn't see anything," she shrieked, her body, not one of a child anymore but not yet the one of a woman, shaking like a leaf.

"Because there was something interesting to not see?" Nora mumbled, used to Mary's habit of viewing each of their interaction with each other as something intimate.

"Probably the way you were staring at me, as if I was, hmmm… _French fries_?" he whispered , his eyes twinkling with amusement.

"Oh, of course," she said wryly. "How silly of me. Kol, please, forgive me. I didn't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

"Apology accepted Darling. It is not your fault, I have heard that I have this effect on the female gender."

"Oh dear, it must be so hard to be you."

"Indeed my sweet Darling," he sighed exaggeratedly and pinched the bridge of his nose dramatically, "I am quite envious of men who can walk around without fearing for their virtue."

They waited for a few more seconds but nothing changed.

"She is still shaking," Nora said, dejected.

She began to walk to Mary when a human tornado ran through the door to launch itself in Nora's arms who caught it expertly.

"Nora!" Svetlana happily exclaimed - yelled -, her small hands wrapped around Nora's neck. "I have petted Lunch!"

"Svetlana," her mother told her off, "don't put your dirty hands on Lady Nora."

"It is alright Mary," Nora grinned. "No need to worry, I have yet to wash myself. Besides, who could resist this pretty face," she added, rubbing her nose against Svetlana's who began to laugh.

His throat suddenly dried and the room feeling slightly oppressive, Kol decided to leave and let Nora get dressed for the day. Once in the hallway, he took a few steps way from the door to sit on a window sill and closed his eyes.

"You are so lucky, Lady Nora," Mary sighed dreamily once the door was closed, unaware that he could still hear them.

"How so?" Nora replied, confused, and it was easy to imagine her tilting her head as she tightened her hold on the child.

"Lord Kol only watch you. His eyes never go on other women, even for a second. And when you are in his eyeline, it is as if he is seeing the sun after an eternity in the dark."

Was he really so obvious, he wondered with his lips spread into a soft smile.

"Really? I haven't noticed," Nora croaked, her heart missing a beat as she lied.

"He does. To have such a fine man devoted to you… My Lady is truly lucky."

"Well, I suppose I am," Nora murmured. "But Mary, even if a man devotes himself to you, it doesn't mean you have to force yourself to return their feelings."

"Do you not care for the Lord Kol?"

"Of course I do. However the day I decide to be with him will be because I truly love him, not because he is devoted to me. Kol deserves nothing less than reciprocated devotion."

"Love?" Mary laughed. "My Lady, once again, you truly are lucky if you are able to believe in such a thing."

"You do not?"

"Love is for the rich and the lucky, and people bound together by fate, such as you and the Lord Kol."

"Fate? Now that is simply not true. I chose to follow him, just as he chose me. He could have left me, and I could have gone away. It was choice that brought us together, not something like fate."

"And yet my Lady, everyone here speak about the two of you being written in the stars, a match made in heaven by God himself. Two halves of the same soul."

When the two women and the child left the room, Kol did his best to ignore the red face of Nora when she realized he had listened to their conversation shamelessly. Instead, he reached out for her hand.

"Shall we Darling?"

* * *

As often, getting Nora on a horse had been difficult. Ever since she died trampled by a horse, she had developed an endless fear of the animal and refused to come near one alone. His presence was barely enough to reassure her and, her back pressed against his chest, her hands were holding firmy the arm he had wrapped around her waist to keep her stable.

"Kol?" Nora asked him, her head resting on his collar bone and tilted backward to look up at him.

"Yes Darling?"

"Do you believe in fate?"

Her conversation with Mary came back to the front of his mind. "Do you?"

"Hey! You cannot do that," she complained and abruptly turned her head while his hold around her tightened to make sure she didn't fall. She seemed to realize how close they were and she stopped breathing for a second. "You," she stumbled before inhaling sharply and looking away. "You cannot answer a question with another question. So, do you believe in fate?"

He put his chin on the top of her head, eyes looking straight ahead, and thought about the question.

"Yes," he ended up saying.

"Truly?" she asked, sounded almost disappointed.

"Yes Darling, truly. I like your idea of building ourselves our future, to be here and now because of our choices and in a way I do agree with you…"

"But?" she probed.

"But I also believe there is something else guiding our steps, in one way or another, making it such that…" Such that no matther what, they will always find their way back to each other. "...you are here."

"Oh… And by 'here', do you mean in your arms, riding a horse?"

He let out a laugh. "No, that, it is definitively our choices. I mean, in this time, this year, this day. Is this answer enough for you?"

"Yes."

"And you?" he asked her.

"Me?"

"Do you believe in fate?"

"Weren't you listening to me and Mary this morning?" she teased him before taking a more serious tone of voice, one hand rubbing her neck while the other squeezed his arm. "I believe that we made our destiny ourselves. The idea that my future is dictated by fate and not by my own choices…it scares me."

"Perhaps you simply need to review your definition of fate."

"Maybe," she agreed and only continued when she saw gates on the horizon, "it is less scary with you by my sides."

The town was one of the biggest of the region. Streets were bigger and on either side stood stalls. Iron jewelry, pearls from the southern lands, eggs, meat, beer and animal hides. Here and there, men and women would offer their services for a spell. At Kol's passage, they would stop and follow him with their eyes. Curiosity, fear and respect were plastered on their face. Because of that, even non-magical people who didn't know a thing regarding his undead state made room for him.

Like every time they entered a town, Nora grabbed one of his sleeves and moved around the street like a butterfly, looking at everything with excitement. She dragged him to a stall selling jewels and gazed at the heavy necklace, then moved to another stall to look at one tapestry. Every once in a while, she would turn around to look at him with a blinding grin before dragging him to another place, usually in the opposite direction.

"Kol, look!" she suddenly yelled, one finger pointing to their left. "Is that the witch you are looking for? He is reading cards."

He cast a glance in the direction indicated and indeed, a young man with long, plaited brown hair and a trimmed beard was sitting on a rug, reading cards even though he had no clients.

"Yes, I think it is him. Let's go Nora."

The man must have felt their arrival because his dark eyes fell on them before they got to him. He scrutinized them far longer that what was proper.

"The cursed witch," the witch stated once they were close enough. He then glanced at Nora curiously. "Rumors say nothing of a companion."

"And they will continue to do so, isn't it Kamil?" Kol said not unkindly even though the threat was painfully obvious.

Nora fidgeted a bit, uncomfortable, but refrained from saying anything. She trusted him to not kill anyone without any provocation while she was there and although she didn't always understand the reasoning behind his actions, she knew he would explain later.

The witch tensed, the movement barely perceptible, and nodded. "How could this witch be of any help to you, Kol Mikaelson?"

Kol let himself fall on the ground to be at the same height as the witch, to the great surprise of the latter. His eyes darted up to Nora who seemed unsure whether she should do the same or not. Normally, traditions and propriety would ask for her to sitting in seiza behind him. However, he was well aware that riding a horse had been no help to her sore body. With this in mind, he reached for her hand and made her fall on his lap.

"Don't worry about what the other might think of you," he whispered in her ears, even though he already knew she didn't care.

"Because I look like I do?" she inquired, half-amused, half-horrified that it could be the case. "Now, the witch asked you a question."

"Yes, yes, my lady," he snickeredbefore turning toward the witch. "You called me 'cursed witch', why is that?"

"It is how my people call you."

"Me? Or the creatures of the night?"

"Only you my Lord. The spirits… They talk about you, about how you were once a witch but were cursed to an undead existence. You now protect witches."

"Hmmm…" He drew circles on Nora's waist while he wondered at what the man said. It wasn't as if he was looking for witches to defend. He just seemed to find them in danger and couldn't really turn a blind eye to their plight. "Interesting… And not wrong, I guess, as indeed, I was once a witch. Yet, I have been cursed far longer than I have been a servant of Nature."

And how this had once hurt. Now though, the ache in his heart had lessened, dulled to a mere echo of what had once been and would never be again. A ghost of a bittersweet memory, of a hope that was never meant to be.

"Good thing you have aged rather well," Nora chuckled, interrupting their conversation.

Kol tensed and observed the witch's reaction, ready to make him pay should he offend the woman in his arms. It was, after all, frowned upon for a woman to participate in a men's conversation.

"Indeed," Kamil agreed, his lips twitching upward. "Although, Lord Kol is less old than you might think. If the spirits are to be believed, the curse was enacted less than a lifetime ago."

"Really?" She blurted. "Well, he is still older than me. Anyway, let me introduce myself seeing as Kol doesn't look like he want to do it himself. Nora Caldwell," she said and reached her hand out.

Kamil hesitated a second before moving his hand to meet hers. At the last moment, Kol gripped Nora's hand and brought it to him.

"No need to touch her now," he hissed before glancing down at Nora. "Don't touch people you don't know."

"Is it an order?" she asked somberly.

"Of course not, just a piece of advice. A witch can find much about yourself with just one touch."

"My apologies," Kamil said softly, "I thought you were already aware of this, given your companion."

"It is perfectly alright Kamil, and sorry for Kol, he didn't need to be so rude about it. Right, honey?"

"Indeed Darling," Kol replied with a fake smile. He then pinched her hip and chuckled at the squeal she let out. "Kamil," he continued, dropping the smile, "you are known for you capacity to read the future, aren't you?"

"Yes my Lord, it is the one facet of my power I have honed the most." Kamil turned a card and took a few second to caress with the tip of his fingers the runes drawn on it. "You want something from me. The discovery of a forgotten truth, of a forsaken world nobody remembered, a world reduced to ashes by its own people. A truth you already have before your eyes, even though you have yet to find it. A world you have already touched. A scorching magic, the kind that burn everything and for which the veil between life and death is nothing but illusion."

"A little more and it will be as creepy as you hon," Nora whispered with an undertone of derision even though uncertainty clouded her gaze.

"Can you do it? Discover that truth and give it to me?" Kol asked Kamil.

They stared at each other, tension thick in the air. Finally, after an eternity, Kamil nodded. "I would need to touch the Lady's hand."

"Only if you promise on your magic, your blood, your life and your descendants' lives to keep the secret of your discovery to anyone but Nora and me. Nobody else, ghosts from the Other Side included."

"You ask much, My Lord. For such a promise, I will need to protect myself for all my life from the ghosts haunting this world. In return, I want a promise from you."

Kol tilted his head, one hand playing with Nora's hair to keep himself from reaching for the witch's neck. "What is it?"

"Should one of my descendants, not working against you of course, need your help and should you be able to provide it, then you will help them."

"It is a vague promise," Nora stopped him from answering, her brow furrowed, "with very little protection for your descendants. As you said, Kol is asking much of you while giving very little in return. It doesn't seem fair."

Kamil's eyebrows went up, his whole body frozen in surprise.

"It… might seem unfair My Lady," he eventually said with true respect. "However, Lord Kol Mikaelson already made it possible for me to live here as a witch without fear. I may be clairvoyant, but I am not omniscient. I cannot be sure that the children of my children will stay true to our ancestral practices or that they will remember old promises. All I can hope is that, should they need help, they will find it."

The witch breathed in deeply before reaching out to Nora. She glanced at Kol before dropping her thin and long fingers on the rough palm of the witch. The effect was immediate. Kamil's mouth dropped open, shock making his eyes go wide as he felt the wild and pure magic Kol knew so well. A torrent of fire, untamable yet hidden behind the soft feminine appearance of Nora.

* * *

 **End of chapter 17! I'm sorry for the late update, this chapter has been quite difficult to write. Regarding the last chapter, thank you so much for the reviews guys! Same for anyone who favorited/followed this fic :) See you next time!**


	20. Chapter 18

**Chapter 18**

* * *

For a few minutes, Kamil said nothing. Even after he let go of Nora's hand, his stare remained on the empty space between them. His brow furrowed and his mouth a fine line, he spread out his hand then closed it.

"Once again," he finally whispered, his voice barely audible, "magic opens the path in a rather odd way, yet the truth indubitably lies with magic."

"A dark omen," Kol commented, his expression not right while Nora was watching the witch before them worriedly. "Am I to understand that you cannot give me the answers I seek?"

Kamil's hesitation was obvious, his eyes flickering between Nora and Kol with a mix of curiosity and uncertainty. His hands shaking, he went to turn over a lone card. However, on its face, there was nothing but a light spot in an ocean of darkness.

"I have never felt such magic before," he quietly admitted. "There is no doubt that if someone were to attempt to harness this magic, they would wind up being burned alive and reduced to ashes. To think that a young woman like the Lady is the embodiment of this scorching magic is…simply incredible, if not slightly unbelievable. However…"

His voice trailed off. At this point, the length of the answer was starting to annoy Kol. What Kamil had just said, Kol already knew it and thus had no need to hear it. Kamil was known to have one foot in the past, the other in the present and his heart in the future. It was said the young man had pushed his capacity to read the future so far that even the Universe had for secret to him. The rest of his magic though, was truly limited.

"Time." Kamil's voice interrupted Kol's train of thought and Nora audibly squeaked when she heard the witch use this particular word. "I need more time."

Kol was immediately suspicious. "How much?"

"A whole lifetime to seek the answer you are looking for."

Kol's stare became icy and his smile mirthless. "Only that?" he mocked, the contempt obvious. "Or are you trying to run away?"

"Kol," Nora cut him off sternly, "I think we should trust him."

"We? Nora, darling, you do not know a single thing about witches… How could I rely on your judgment?" he replied as kindly as possible while brushing his fingers against her cheek.

As soon as the words left his mouth, he regretted them. Yet, words were like spilled water. Once out, it was impossible to take them back. As such, he kept his fingers on her skin as if everything was perfect in the world while inwardly, he dreaded her reaction.

"Are you saying that I cannot make a good decision honey?" Nora said in a low, sensual voice, void of anger, her lips stretched in a peaceful smile even though her eyes glowered at him.

He immediately tensed and coughed before stating, "now darling, that's not what I said."

"Oh?" she raised an eyebrow. "So… is my hearing bad then?"

"Definitely not. It's perfect, just like you." Groveling was definitely the way to solve this slip of his tongue.

Her smile almost blinded him as it made her eyes sparkle. With a laugh, she flicked his forehead, unaware that she was the was the only one in the world who could do that and still breathe afterwards - beside his siblings, obviously.

She then grabbed his hand and brought it to her mouth without caring about the outraged eyes on them. She blew on his hand as if to warm his body that had been dead for more than thirty years.

"I did not know a lot about vampires, yet I chose to trust you. Was it not very clever of me?" she stated proudly.

"Quite the contrary darling, I am hardly an innocent."

"Maybe," she grinned, "but I still chose to trust you and so far, I feel like it has been the best decision I could ever take." Her eyes flickered to Kamil. "Besides, it isn't what you think. I know nothing of Kamil, how could I trust him? However, I do trust you very much."

"You lost me here Darling," he said, unsure about what she meant.

She patted his chest, each of her touch leaving behind only lightness in his heart.

"Easy! You have let him touch my hand. So even if you don't admit it, a part of you, even though a tiny one, trusts him. As for me, I trust your judgment…." She trailed off and narrowed her eyes. "Something that definitely should be reciprocated. So, if he said he needs time, we are going to wait for as long as he need. And yes, I said 'we'. After all, it is MY magic, so I will have a say, whether you want it or not. Alright, my handsome creepy stalker?"

After that, Kol could only sighed, "yes, yes Darling, I understand."

He turned to Kamil. "You heard the Lady, you can have as much time as you need." He took off a necklace he found a few years ago and handed it to the man before them. "Use this to send me a message when you find the answer I…we are looking for."

"Yes my lord… I won't fail you."

Of course he wasn't going to fail him. Otherwise he would not be left alive. Still, he refrained from voicing his thoughts and carelessly said, "Good, then we are done here. Nora -"

"Wait," she stopped him. "There is something that keeps bothering me…" She squeezed his hand. "Kamil… you are a clairvoyant. For Kol to come to you, you must be a very good one. Is it alright to assume that you already knew we were looking for you? See, it is a bit of a joke, where I am from. Fortune teller are supposed to know what we want before we call them."

Kamil looked one last time his card before his eyes settled on the redhead. "Yes, it would be alright to make such an assumption."

"Not only our visit then," Kol added, understanding more or less where Nora was going, "but also our request, isn't it?"

"Yes."

"Then," Nora hesitated before saying, "That card of yours, the one that was away from the others… You already knew what it was."

The witch nodded with a bitter smile.

"It symbolizes your end," Nora realized and gasped, horror carved in every inch of her face.

"Most women find this card romantic and see that bright spot as the light casting away the dark and illuminating their life."

"Romantic?" the redhead scoffed with disgust, "This card in my eyes is merely a well of loneliness. As for you, it is the light at the end of you path."

Kamil weighed his words before he replied, his face suddenly looking far older than a second ago.

"I have always had an affinity with the future, maybe even more than with the past. When I decided to sharpen my skills, I was only at the very beginning of my life as a servant of Nature. The boy of that time was someone far too curious for his own good, yet not enough audacious. Knowing the future can quickly become a burden, a disadvantage even. After all, once you know that you will succeed, why would you put some efforts into something? If you think you will fail, why would you even try? My Lady, you are right to think this card stands for my death. However, I have long since learned to accept things as they are. Even though this card means the end of the path for me, I still have many years left before I die, and I intend to live them the way I desire. Nothing and no one forced me to accept the Lord Kol's request. I could have ignored it and still leave this place alive thank to your presence."

"I…see," Nora said softly after mulling his words, "thanks for your answer, Kamil. I hope your life will be filled with happiness."

Once again, she surprised the witch and Kol couldn't help but watch her with endless fondness. She had truly grown into a wonderful woman within the few months she spent here. Not that she wasn't already, but he couldn't help but see her as a little bird ready to fly away.

As they stood up, he drew her into his chest to kiss her forehead. Her only reaction was to wrap her arms around his waist for a few seconds. She then released him and stepped back, a gentle smile on her lips. Moments like this one made him wish it could last forever. No father trying to kill Niklaus, no disgust and annoyance in his siblings' stare, no loneliness and no painful memories. Nothing but Nora and him, with happiness at every step.

Catching her hand in his own, he began to step forward towards a jewel-selling stall she had been looking at before when the witch stopped them.

"My Lord, there is something I feel I must tell you."

"What is it?" Kol said abruptly, his frustration and impatience very obvious in his voice and face. The longer he stayed here, the more Kamil was looking like a good lunch.

"When I touched the Lady's hand, I felt something else besides her magic. An incomplete bond linking your soul with hers. It surprised me, and still does to be honest, as I have never heard about such a magic that could bond souls together, let alone survive such magic. Moreover, behind that bond, there was something else…"

"What?" Kol asked, worry filling him before the witch's stare.

"An odd echo, linking the Lady to your soul."

Once this was said, Kol let them go. Yet, the desire to admire and buy some jewels had left Nora. Silent and anxious, she walked by his side, her nails scratching the hollow of her neck every once in a while. A wrinkle was forming a wave on her forehead and her teeth had no mercy for her red lips. Was it too late to go back and kill that damn witch?

When he couldn't take the silence anymore, Kol dragged her into a deserted alley and placed himself in front of her, hands on her shoulders. His eyes darted around her face looking for any sign of anxiety, desiring nothing more than to take all her worries away and comfort her.

"What is it Darling?"

" 'An inch of time is an inch of gold, but an inch of time cannot be purchased for an inch of gold.'(1)" she murmured wistfully after a beat with her head turned in the direction of the main street. "What is this strange world where we can ask someone to devote one's life to us? All that time lost to find some answers, Kamil will never get it back. And all for what?"

Her voice was suddenly filled with anger as she stared back at him and pushed him away. Being a vampire, it was always hard for a human to make him move. Maybe it was because she caught him off guard or maybe it was because he was always more relaxed around her, but he was forced to step back away from her and could only watch with helplessness as tears filled her eyes as she continued to speak.

"To understand what's happening to me?" she said, her voice breaking, "To help me live without fear? But I am scared! I'm always scared! It's always in the back of my mind that I can disappear at any time and be once again alone in a word I don't understand! Understanding this will not change my reality! I don't want of a life built on others' bones."

"Nora…" he began to say but she shook her head, as if she was refusing to hear even his voice.

"Leave me alone!"

He tried to get closer but she put her hands between them and put them on his chest to push him away once again. Unlike the first time, he didn't move but felt his skin burning and hissed half in pain half in surprise.

The fire disappeared from her hands as quickly as it had appeared and she stared at him, appalled.

"I hurt you," she stammered, her face ashen.

"You didn't want to," he said kindly even though his heart was pounding at the idea that she could burst into flames right now and disappear before his very eyes.

But there was no smell of fear or fire anymore, only dismay. She stumbled back and hit the wall behind her before staring at her hands.

"I hurt you."

"Nora," he tried again.

She shook her head again, completely hysterical, and screamed, "I told you to leave me alone!" Once the words were said, she took advantage of the space between them to leave and get back to the main street.

He could have stopped her in a heartbeat. Yet the memory of her eyes widening with horror petrified him for a few seconds. When he got to the main street, he could only stare at her back as she ran away from the town, bumping into people while doing so.

The basket of an old woman on whom time had carved deep lines on her face was knocked over and Nora didn't even glance back, all her thoughts on leaving that place. She ran and ran, as if the very Devil was behind her. But no matter how far she ran, she couldn't escape her own shadow.

With a sigh, Kol decided to help the old woman, aware that Nora would blame herself later. Once done, he followed her scent to outside the town. She hadn't actually run very far and was sitting in a clearing, her back against a trunk. Her pants of effort and pounding heart sounded like a thunderstorm to his ears.

As she wanted to be alone, he removed his coat and outside tunic and leaned against a tree, placing himself so that he couldn't be seen. An hour passed with only her sobs filling the silence. When the sun began its descent, he decided that he had been more than patient. Enough was enough.

"This day didn't go the way I wanted," he said once he reached her and grabbed her hand to get her up.

Her palm felt hot against his finger and a lump appeared in his throat.

She let him do as he wanted and fell listlessly on his chest, her face buried in his neck. He embraced her and dropped his chin on the top of her head, eyes tuned to the boundless sky above them.

"Do you know the air we breathe is filled with the dust and ashes of the dead?" he suddenly asked in a soothing voice. "The green grass underneath our feet hide the corpses from long ago. We stamp on the dead and brush past countless ghost our eyes cannot see at every step we take."

"Kol," she croaked, "I -"

"Don't you see?" he cut her off. "Our world is already built on thousands of thousands of bones. If you do not want to step on them, it's alright. I will carry you. If you do not want to see them, I will cover your eyes. And when you find the strength to face this world filled with ashes, I will be by your sides so don't ask me ever again to leave you alone."

He took a deep breath before continuing, "don't blame yourself for Kamil. He told you, didn't he? He already knew what awaited him before coming to this town. Yet he still came. He could also have refused us and left this place alive. Coming here, looking for the secret of your magic, it is as much his choice than ours."

He kissed her hair, ignoring the heat coming from her body, and whispered, "let's go home."

She stilled and refused, "No, I am not going back home with you today."

Oh darling, he already knew, but he was also very good at turning a blind eye to the obvious.

"Hn. Is that so?"

"Yes," she replied, her finger gripping his arm, her nail biting harshly into his skin. She then raised her head, stood on her toes and brushed his chin with her lips. His heart shook and he tightened his grip. "I -"

"Don't say anything, please," he urged her.

"I am going to leave Kol, no matter what you do. You know it too, don't you?"

"Nora," he shook his head, unwilling to admit the truth.

"That echo Kamil spoke about, bounding my soul to yours, he wasn't speaking about me, isn't it?"

"Of course he was speaking about you Nora. Older or younger, it is still you. It will always be you. I won't let you go."

With a slight hesitation, she moved her fingers to his chest, the thin limbs trembling.

"But it is not true Kol," she smiled sadly. "The one you want before you is the older me. You have questions to ask her. Questions that only she knows the answers. I think she will soon be here. There cannot be two of us at the same time. There has been something crawling under my skin ever since I woke up this morning. Today, I'm leaving. Kamil's words only confirmed this."

She briefly closed her eyes and when she opened them again, there was a new determination shining inside them. "I am going to leave," she repeated, more for herself than for him, "and it scared me so much but… I really wanted to spend the day with you."

She leaned her ear against his chest and his beating heart. "At the end, I ruined everything and ran away. I didn't stay by your side and made you worry. I'm sorry."

"I wasn't very far," he admitted quietly.

But then again, regarding her matters, he was never far away.

"I know. Even if I'm scared, I also have faith because I know that no matter the time I will be in, no matter whether you can get to me or not, I know you will still exist under the same sky and I will have a place into your heart. I might not be the one to whom you want to say these words, but this last five months have been the best I have lived ever since my death a thousand years in the future. And although it is not yet true complete devotion, I did fell in love with you Kol. I wanted you to know this before I left, even though this mushy speech sounds like the offspring of the puke of a unicorn and a rainbow.

He hide his face in her hair, his tears lost in the blood red curls. His mask was cracking, breaking apart and falling into dust before his very eyes. Nora, Nora, how could she be so cruel? How could she not see the truth? He had never cared about getting those answers from her older self, at least not so soon. He had so much time and could easily wait a decade or two, hell even a whole lifetime. Five months with the woman in his arms were simply not enough.

"I'm scared Kol."

"I know sweetheart," he replied in a hoarse voice, "I am here."

"You need to let me go," she said as she tried to extricate herself from his arms. "I don't want the flames to hurt you."

He only tightened his hold on her a bit more.

"I am an immortal vampire without any desire to harness your power, your magic won't kill me. I will be there until the very end Nora, this I promise you."

She said nothing for several minutes while her body was getting hotter.

"Thank you Kol."

He gave her no reply. When the fire licked his skin, he continued to hold her and clenched his teeth. There, under the golden sky and the dying sun, he realized that this very moment would soon become another bitter memory. Yet, he couldn't find the will to regret it.

When there was nothing left but ashes and his skin had finished to mend itself, he clothed himself with his tunic and coat and rode the horse with a dark face back to the castle. The lord was already compelled to protect the witches on his lands. There was nothing left for him here. Once he was done retrieving his meager possessions, he would leave in the night with only the moon as his witness.

When the Nora whose soul was already bonded to his came to this time, he was going to bring her to a sunny and warm place. Far away from the cold and the memories left by that silly innocent woman, still naïve despite the harsh trials life had sent to her. A young woman who had gotten to know him and still grew to love him despite his status as a creature of the night who had killed before her eyes.

* * *

 **End of chapter 18 !**

(1) Chinese proverb

Very sorry for the long wait. I was rather busy and also not satisfied with this chapter. Finally, even though I'm still not completely satisfied with it, I decided to update. Hope you liked it.

In two chapters, some famous siblings will make their great come back for a certain event I've aching to write since the very chapter of this fic! Can anyone guess which one?


	21. Chapter 19

**Chapter 19**

* * *

Kol had heard them long before they reached him, and he had truly wondered whether he should laugh or feeling sorry for himself. On the one hand, he was once more alone. On the other hand, he was rather lucky. Blood was, after all, the best remedy to forget the gaping hole that kept threatening to swallow him. Especially when the blood was flowing all around him like water.

Just when his sanity was on the brink of being completely gone, a group of thieves had tried to strip him of his valuables. And who was he to refuse them? How could he not welcome them with open arms? He most definitely wasn't someone who would refuse so many throats, especially when they were just under his nose, with veins pulsing with warm blood, begging for his bite. And oh begging they were…

The soon-to-be corpse in his hands became weaker, the greasy-haired man having already lost his will to fight. Kol's eyes were closed, all his senses focused on the liquid running down his throat and electrifying every inch of his body. Oh blood… Oh sweet, delicious blood…

After a while, the blood stopped coming and he let the body fall to the ground. What a pity, only seventeen people. All dead now, their limbs twisted in odd angles and their throats ripped apart. Some still had their eyes wide open, although all they could now do was to decay quietly.

Kol's gaze fell on the body lying at his feet. Crouching, he jabbed the cold bluish skin with his finger, then opened one of its eyelids. In front of the lifeless eyes, Kol tilted his head and sighed, "People, these days. Why couldn't you be just a little bit more clever? Choosing your victims wisely is one thing, but the number of people in your group is also very important, you know. Only seventeen, really… Why not thirty? The more, the merrier! I hope that in your next life, you'll be less stupid and take more friends with you before crossing my path."

He stood up and wiped off the blood from his lips with his thumb.

"Still need more efforts to eat properly," he noted before licking his finger. He turned and left. There was nothing here but food for the vultures.

He walked slowly, with only the moon as his witness. He had very little with him, only a bundle on his shoulder containing his meager possessions and the little things Nora had held dear. The castle with his bitter memories was already far behind him and the little thieves buffet had helped him to relax. The sky was almost completely clear and the few clouds couldn't hide the bright light of the moon and the stars. It… almost felt good, to be there, under an open sky.

The more he walked, the more the scenery changed. Trees became a rarity. Soon, the salty smell of the sea reached his nostrils and he couldn't help wrinkling his nose. He had chosen a random direction, and now he faced a dark sea, with blocks of ice floating. So much for a sunny place. At least it was new, for he definitely had never been there before.

He made to turn back when the most particular feeling hit him hard. One moment, he felt empty. The next, life was filling his dead body. He could feel Nora breathing, even though she was far away from him. He could hear her heart beating in her chest at the same pace as his. He could almost smell her, feel the bright fire hiding under her skin.

It was the first time he felt the complete bond since he had become a creature of the night, and he could only stand still for several minutes. No doubt with the most stupid expression plastered all over his face.

So, Kamil and Nora had been right. Two Nora couldn't be in the same place. One had to leave.

He inhaled deeply and his face split into a wide smile, his heart bursting with happiness. In the split second that followed, he was gone, leaving behind him only echoes of his laugh.

He didn't stop even for a second. Nora was walking towards him too, but there was still too much distance between them. On the fourth day, as the sun was high and blinding, he stopped abruptly before a town. Like the cold sea, he found himself in a place he had never been. The people here were different, their skin darker and the shape of their eyes slightly slanted. Some women, lavishly dressed, were wearing heavy head-ornaments. As for the men he guessed were part of the nobility, their hair was tied up with an odd jewel. They were wearing long tunic, all of them with a belt adorned with either a fine piece of jade or a small silk pouch.

Surprised and wary stares followed him as he entered the town without hesitation and his head held high. The poorest moved away. The women lowered their heads and the men stepped in front of them, some with one hand of a sword. As if it would help them against him, should they decided to attack him.

Quickly, there was no one in the middle of the street and a heavy silence hung in the air. He stopped, standing there like a statue with his stare on the end of the street. Seeing this, the people hesitated. Gradually, they resumed their activities, casting him worried glances from time to time.

He didn't move. He could feel Nora getting closer.

When she finally appeared before him, she was wearing an old poor dress. If it wasn't for the color of her hair and the features of her face, she could have posed as one of the servants of this place.

Sharp breathes were shaking her body and her face was as red as her hair, a clear sign that she had been running. Her hair was in disarray, with plenty of strands flowing freely around her, some even stuck to her forehead and temples.

She was beautiful. And became even more when her whole face lit up once her eyes fell on him, happiness pouring out of her in waves. She broke into a wide open smile before she cupped her hands in front of her mouth and yelled his name, "KOL!"

With that said, she run towards him. He caught her halfway and she launched herself into his arms, her own arms wrapped around his neck and her legs around his waist. Her dress rose up, showing the thin pants under the cloth.

It was rather difficult to surprise a vampire, but this was Nora. The impossible had never meant much to her. As his hands went to catch her thighs, she crashed her lips against his. He smiled against her mouth as she thrust her hands into his hair, her fingers gripping it tightly.

She pulled on the dark lock to tilt his head back and bit his lips. As he gasped, her sweet tongue plunged deep into his mouth, swallowing his breath and exploring every inch of the cavity.

Closing his eyes, allowing her to do as she pleased, he was quickly getting intoxicated with her taste. He squeezed his hands before bringing them to her bottom, wanting nothing more than getting her closer.

But it wasn't close enough. The desire to lose himself into her became stronger.

A moan escaped her when she felt the proof of his desire and she released his mouth, panting. At the sound, he used his supernatural speed to bring her out of the town. There, he pushed her against a tree and kissed her, all the while grinding against her core.

His lips left hers, only to skim down her cheek to her neck. He nibbled on her skin carefully.

"Ah… Kol, more please," she moaned as one of his hand ripped her dress apart and grabbed her right breast, cupping and squeezing the hot flesh beneath his palm.

His thumb stroked her nipple and her breath hitched, the hand on his hair drawing him closer. She pushed her pelvis against him and it was his turn to moan. Damn, he loved that woman so much.

It wasn't how he had imagined their first time, but the temptation was simply too strong.

Her nails sank into his back as his hands explored her with a barely contained ardor. Delicious sighs and cries left her mouth, each sound intensifying his desire. He tasted her skin, licked the sweat between her breasts. He knelt down before her like a pious man before his god and buried his face between her thighs. She prayed and begged him, making him wonder which of them was the deity.

The tree cracked and he laid her down on his coat, his lips never leaving her. He lost himself into her flesh and swallowed her cries of pleasure. More. Faster. Harder. The fire deliciously consumed him.

Later, after catching their breaths, she rolled on her side and gazed at him with adoration. She curled a lock of dark hair around her finger to return it behind his ear, lingering on his skin as she did so, skimming his face softly.

"I am home, honey," she said sweetly.

"That you are Nora," he whispered and kissed her forehead. "Do you always greet me in such a way?"

"Well, I try to," she replied mischievously. "It's a good way, isn't it?"

He laughed before replying breathlessly, "A very good way. I would have just loved for my first time with you to happen in a bed. Then I could have treated you like the goddess you are."

"First time?!" she squeaked. "What year is it then?!"

"According to the Christian calendar? End of 1033."

"Hmmm… Kievan Rus? You are awfully young then." She rolled on his chest and placed her hands on the ground, on each side of his head. Her long hair fell on his face, tickling him. "Should I make you call me Big sister?"

He lifted his head to bite the tip of her nose before rolling them until she was under him.

"Do you call me Daddy in the future?"

"No," she laughed, "no daddy kink for us."

He pouted, "What a pity, it looks like you need to be taught a lesson." With that said, he spanked her nude thigh. How odd how such an action can feel so natural with the right person.

A squeal escaped her and she wrapped her legs around him to draw him closer. She seemed to search his gaze for something before she brought her lips to him.

"You must have questions for me, don't you?" she then asked softly.

"Indeed." Many, in fact. He had dreamed of their reunion a hundred times. Hell, even a thousand times. Yet, getting those answers had never been the most important thing. Nora was.

"Well then, ask me. I'll try to answer as best as I can."

There was trust inside her eyes. Trust and love. His questions could wait. What he wanted to tell her couldn't.

He breathed in, taking into their mixed scents, and caressed down the bridge of her nose to her bruised lips.

"I love you, Nora Caldwell." She had probably already heard those words from him a hundred times, yet the smile she sent him was genuine, full of joy and tenderness "I already loved you when I was human, and my feelings for you have never weakened. You, darling, have carved your name on my heart. Whether it is the man or the monster, both loves you than life itself."

He sat up, holding her close to him on his lap, her legs on both sides of him. After that, he grabbed his tunic to cover her and used a piece of cloth to clean her inner thighs.

"I loved the human you," she suddenly said. "But long before that, I had already fallen in love with the vampire."

He said nothing for a while, focusing instead on cleaning her. Once it was done, he cast the fabric aside and looked at her, his fingers drawing circles on her legs.

"It sounds a bit contradictory darling. The witch… the vampire… Aren't they simply too different?" he asked her, though he didn't let her any time to answer. "I know what I am Nora, and I know what I was. As a human, although I was slightly arrogant, I wasn't cruel. Quite the contrary, I hated my father for his cruelty and I despised my mother for seeing Mikael as a good man. Today, if I were to stand before my human self, he would be ashamed and disgusted."

As he spoke, Kol felt a slight pang of hurt but somehow, he managed to keep smiling softly. It wasn't the same for Nora, and her face slipped from the expression of fondness to one of melancholy.

"Don't think you are the only one with blood on your hands honey. When faced with immortality and an endless amount of time, it is rather hard to remain innocent. As a ignorant human, it is easy to be all judgy and holier-than-thou. Don't judge yourself by yesterday standards, it is completely and utterly useless. I've always known who you were to become. I told you, I loved you as a human. I truly did. But I chose you, all gory and guts, long before. _I love you, Kol Mikaelson._ "

"And how long have you been alive?" he asked curiously, leaving the obvious 'by my side' unsaid.

"Honestly, it is rather complicated to keep track of the time, what with all the time-traveling thing. I guess a hundred years, give or take."

"And how long had it been when you met my human self."

Immediately, her face changed and she tried to look everywhere but at him. He grabbed her chin and guided her head up to his eyes, an odd feeling curling deep inside his stomach as he did so.

"The same," she ended up mumbling, "roughly a hundred years."

"What?" he blurted, unsure of what she meant.

She squirmed on his lap and said, panicked, "I promise I'm not interested in children! Only in you! Fuck, it definitely doesn't sound right. I mean-"

"Nora," he cut her off, not interested by her moral dilemma, "what do you mean by a hundred years? How long had it been for you since you last saw me as a human?"

"A little more than a week?"

He tensed, his body high on alert. He had needed four days to find her here.

"What happened?" he asked, frowning and his voice serious.

"I… kind of died. Nothing to worry. I can just now say that my throat knows Elijah's teeth. And that Niklaus is a fucking asshole. But I already knew that, even though it was the first actual time that I had the displeasure to speak with him. How the three of you are related is beyond me. Are you sure you are not adopted?"

In an instant, they were both on their feet, with him looking at her from all angles. Of course, there was nothing to see, only the marks he had left himself. But still, had he not been a vampire, he would have been paler than a ghost.

"Explain," he ordered her.

"You do know it won't happen before several centuries? And it will happen, no matter what we do so…"

"Nora," he said sternly, not even able to enjoy the meek look on her face.

She sighed and shook her head. "I don't really know," she admitted. "We met like we always do and Elijah and Niklaus suddenly appeared, totally cockblocking us. They were really angry at you, saying that you once again killed too many people and you needed to be stop."

She hesitated for a bit but he pressed her, already disliking her words and aware that it wouldn't get any better. He tried to calm himself to no avail, each breath filling him with a deep anger.

"I was there…"

He dug his finger into the soft flesh of her arm, though not without being careful. "Obviously."

"And you told me to hide."

"Which you didn't do, I guess?" he asked, one brow elegantly raised.

"I did!" she exclaimed, slightly put-out. "At least until they caught you. They were going to kill you, I couldn't do nothing. Yet, before I could do anything, they had already staked you. Before I knew it, Elijah had grabbed me. You were dying so… a bit useless at the time hon. Niklaus thought I was a whore and told Elijah to kill me. Which he did. With his teeth in my throat. To think that sick bastard is always acting like he's so much better than you."

Yes, it was really Elijah, no doubt on that. Caring for his family, as long as it meant Nik and Bekah.

"Should we organize a meeting, so they know who you are and don't hurt you?" he suggested.

The words had barely left his mouth that he regretted them and Nora's reply only echoed his fears.

"No way," she flatly refused. "It's better for you if they kill me thinking I was a whore than if they kill me knowing who I am…"

"The love of my life?" he said, drawing her to him. "The woman I adore and want to spend my undead life with?"

"Yeah, that. I was going with your lover, but love of your life sounds rather good too. Better, actually."

"That it does," he agreed with a weak smile before kissing the top of her head. Thinking about what the future held and the events of the last days of his human life, he continued, "Nora, don't ever put your life in danger for me again. Especially for me."

The look she sent him almost bore a hole in his head. "That, I can't promise you."

Seeing her like that, he didn't try to change her mind, knowing it was already a lost battle. For now.

They made their way to an inn and, once they got a small room - with walls as thin as paper - he left to find them clothes. Walking around dressed as some servant was absolutely out of the question.

The barrier language did challenge him though, as he couldn't simply force the people to give him what he wanted. Still, he wasn't one to refuse a challenge. Looking around, he saw a fat man leaving what seemed to be a brothel. The smells of rouge, powder and sex stuck to him. Lavishly dressed, the belt he wore only made his fat more prominent. Two whores waved as he stepped on a servant's back to step inside his carriage.

By the time the two women lowered their arms and turned back into the building, Kol was already in one of the rooms. The three young half-naked girls - for they couldn't be called women - were bound with a gag in their mouths, and the man they had been serving was shaking in fear.

Kol gagged him too before trying to use compulsion on him. Words and eye contacts alone didn't work, as the man simply couldn't understand him. After a few tries and the man almost passing out, Kol managed to push his orders in the forms of mental images. Admittedly, it was a bit tiring. Yet, it was worth the effort as he came back to the inn his arms full of luxurious clothes and jewels.

Lying on the odd thin mattress on the floor, only dressed with his tunic, Nora opened one eye when the floor cracked under his step. As he entered her sight, she rolled over on her stomach, legs up in the air.

He showed her a dress, "What do you think of this?"

The fabric was pale blue with pink embroidered butterflies. Added to this was pale pink separated sleeves and a long turquoise silky belt.

"That I have no idea how to wear it. And that people in Ancient China must take hours to get dressed."

"Well, I will help you with the dress if you help me with my clothes," he said, pointed the male clothing he had found.

"Deal honey," she grinned. "Now, what do you want to do next?"

That…was actually a rather good question. He rarely visited his siblings - and they rarely visited him. Barely once or twice a year, three if he was lucky. Most of his time was spent with witches. The last few months with Nora was the longest time he had ever spent in one place. Without doing anything in particular, that is.

At the end, he replied peacefully, "Play house with you for a decade or two."

Without getting up, she reached for him. He left the beautiful clothes on the floor and joined her in bed, loving the way she clung to his body, her breath tickling him.

"Let's have a cat then. And live somewhere sunny."

"Sure," he said, then added, "can you do that?"

"Playing house? Of course," she grinned before biting playfully into his shoulder. "You can act all pretty and learn your witchy stuff while I bring home money, food and blood."

He moved over her, using one hand to grip her wrists tightly over her head. Her back deliciously arched, pushing her even closer to him. He kissed her jaw, slid up her ear, then licked the top of the latter, drawing a giggle from Nora.

The dryness in his throat had nothing to do with blood. In front of Nora, so obvious with her feeling for him, he felt like a starving man.

"No," he said, his voice coming out in a croak, "staying with me a decade or two."

"You say this as if I didn't want to," she groaned when he took her ear lobe between his lips.

"That doesn't answer my question."

With that said, he kissed the way down to her neck while his free hand explored her body.

"Yes…" she moaned.

"Yes, what?" he smirked against her pulse.

"I…" her breath hitched. "I… can stay…As long as there isn't another me popping in."

"Good. It's all I ask."

* * *

 **And...that's it for this time period. Next chapter, we will be in 1114.**

 **Would you be interested in reading oneshots (including crossovers) where Kol time-travelled (and cross dimensions for the crossover part) with Nora? I've had that idea for a while now, of Nora and Kol meeting the original Kol/Klaus/etc.**


	22. Chapter 20

**Chapter 20**

* * *

 **1114, Kingdom of Italy**

The cart bounced on the bumpy road and a few strands of straw landed on Nora's sleeping face. She scrunched up her nose before burying her face into Kol's clothes, her arms around him. They were both lying on the straw at the back of the cart, though Kol wasn't sleeping.

Carefully, with slow movements so she wouldn't wake up, Kol removed the straw from the red hair. It failed though. Without even bothering to open one eye, she grabbed his hand and intertwined their fingers. Grinning, he brought it to his lips to kiss the joined knuckles.

At the same time, the old man farmer who had agreed to let them travel with him, said, "we will soon arrive. Do you need a place to sleep? My son-in-law and my daughter should be able to house you."

"Thank you old man but it is not necessary," Kol refused politely. "My family lives not far from there."

Not that he was going to live with them.

"Good, good," the man said. "It is a bad time to stay outside after dark."

"Oh?" Nora lifted her head up and squinted. "Why is that so, sir?"

The man sighed, "ah young lady, this is a sordid story, I wouldn't want to dirty your ears."

She rolled her eyes, unwilling to act like a shy and scared young woman. Especially when the only thing young about her was her appearance. And even then, most women her physical age were already married with children.

Kol and Nora's eyes met and they shared a smirk. After eighty years of living together, words were often unnecessary.

"Just tell her old man or she won't stop asking," Kol snorted.

A hoarse laugh shook the impressive stature of the farmer. After a few minutes, he managed to calm down and finally replied, his voice turning dark, "There are rumors of evil creatures roaming the street at night, looking for fresh blood. The work of the Devil, without doubt."

With that said, he leaned towards the road and spat on the ground.

"No matter the time, men will always be llamas," Nora muttered, her voice not loud enough for their driver to hear her.

Kol pinched her nose, "What can I say? Some things are eternal." He then raised his voice, "Don't worry old man, we will be careful."

What the hell had his siblings been doing? He might have killed lots of people, but at least he hadn't turned them into rabid vampires.

The old man dropped them at the village in which his daughter and her husband were living and left, though not before warning them once more to be careful. Without a word, Kol brushed the straw off Nora's dress and straightened up her clothes as she did the same for him.

Their journey of one month would end in a few hours. After travelling all the way from their house in South Asia, he was looking forward to see his siblings again. They had last seen each other a bit less than one year ago for Christmas and it was time they met again. Last time, he had only stayed for a few days, unwilling to let Nora alone for too long. However, seeing her guilty face when he came back made him question his decision. Now, he could admit, at least in the privacy of his mind, that he was also to blame for the distance between his siblings and him. Though their 'Always and Forever' vow still left a bitter taste in his mouth.

Nik's message said Finn would be the one to come for him. Before that though, he needed to find a house for Nora and him to live in.

With that thought in mind, he stepped forward before looking back, smirking.

"What are you waiting for?" he asked Nora with a chuckle as he wagged his eyebrows up and down.

She broke into a wide smile, eyes shining bright, and threw herself at him, climbing on his back like a monkey on a tree. At least, this particular monkey didn't have any flea. His hands holding tightly her thighs, he began to walk at a human pace.

"Do you think your siblings want to see you because of those rumors?" Nora asked him, the annoyance in her voice not failing to make him laugh.

"Still angry the message appeared while we were playing doctor?"

"You bet I am," she grumbled. "Next time, please, ask a witch to cloak us."

"Can't do that sweetheart, they are still my lovely siblings."

She rested her chin on the top of his head, and he immediately knew her lips were pursed into a pout. "Sometimes I think you were adopted honey."

He pinched her calf and deadpanned, "And sometimes I wondered whether or not you are really older than me."

"You could always ask that to Kamil when he finally contacts us."

"He's a witch Darling," he stated, pretty sure the full implications hadn't crossed her mind. "With the right spell and a few herbs every once in a while,he still has many more years ahead of him. By the time he makes contact with us, I might very well be with your younger self."

"Oh right," she realized, "it has already been eighty years. Another me is bound to pop in at one point or another. An older one though, cause I sure as hell don't remember singing Oh De Lally at King John's birth. And believe me, I wouldn't miss such an occasion to sing a Disney song."

"Do I wish to know?" he wondered aloud, as he always did when she rambled about the future.

"Probably not."

It was a peaceful walk, with Nora humming songs from her birth time. When they reached another village, she didn't try to get off his back, instead going as far as rubbing her cheek against his before the horrified stare of the passersby.

"You just can't help yourself," he snickered, although not without glaring at the villagers, "people will once again think you are a woman of easy virtue."

"And why should I care about them?" she replied shamelessly, the arms wrapped around him squeezing. "You love PDA and I love you. And it's not like they can't do anything to us."

He sighed, a fond look on his face as he was unable to deny her words. "I don't even know why I'm still trying."

"You and me hon, you and me," she laughed, the sound bringing a grin on his face.

The village wasn't big and was only an half hour horse ride away from the town where his siblings lived. From the little boy feeding the pigs to the old woman hanging out the laundry, everything in that small place breathed calm and serenity. No one was looking over their shoulder or speaking in worried hushed tones, as if any rumors about evil creatures had stopped at the village's gates.

According to his information, a witch had immigrated here a few years ago and secretly helped the villagers to get plentiful harvests in the surrounding fields. Illnesses were rare and the people healthy. Thanks to the trade with the nearby town, what had once been a poor, run-down and god-forsaken place was now a rich little village. If it weren't for the distance between the town and the village, Kol was pretty sure the latter would be teeming with life.

Kol walked until Nora exclaimed, "Look! There! Isn't that the symbol you told me of?"

His stare slid along her extended arm and finger to see what she was pointed and caught sight of a drawing of a red bird above a door, the house away from the others. Several symbols were carved upon the frame, some of which used by Eastern witches to protect their privacy. Less effective than a privacy spell cast on burning sage, it had the advantage of lasting far longer.

From where they stood, Kol could only hear a low hum and disembodied voices from inside the house. Enough to know there were people, not to know how many or what they were talking about.

"Indeed, we are on the right place."

Nora got off his back and they made their way to the house. Bigger than all the others, with flowers blooming all over its walls, it looked quite charming and cozy. With a witch as its owner, it would be a good and secure place for them to live.

Kol raised his fist to knock on the door. The moment his skin touched the wood, a powerful wave passed through him, burning and hurting, and he found himself thrown backward.

"Bloody hell," he gritted out, casting a disgusted glance at what had once been his forearm. "That's one hell of a witch here."

"You're alright, hon?" Nora asked, worried but not turning around as she placed herself between him and the door. She grabbed the sword hanging on her back and raised it before her, ready to defend them.

He stood up and groaned, "Just peachy darling."

The bone was already growing back, the pain pulsing in every inch of his arm, even reaching his shoulder.

"What do you think of a witch for your lunch?"

"Sounds good. Let's burn down the house next, it's been a while since we ate roasted meat." He took the dagger hidden in his boot. Even without an invitation to come in, it was easy to kill someone inside their house. Witch or not.

He walked to Nora's side the moment the door opened with a piercing creak. A middle-aged redheaded woman with bright green eyes caught sight of them, her eyes opening wide when she saw him, recognition shining through them.

Not bothering to wait for the witch to speak, Nora threw the sword towards the witch's arm. His little Darling was feeling slightly revengeful today.

The witch didn't move, her stare still glued on him. Just before the sword reached her, a hand stopped it, grabbing effortlessly the edge of the sword. Finn's face then appeared behind the woman.

"Kol," Finn said sternly, somehow managing to reprimand him with only the use of his name.

Nik and Bekah tended to obey to Elijah. Well, more or less, that is. Kol was mostly a free spirit, only obeying his own rules. Yet, even he had to admit that Finn was the one who had kept most of his humanity. Maybe even too much as his oldest brother hated the creature he became. Still, Finn was the most reasonable of them.

With Nik, Bekah and Elijah forming their own private little family, Kol couldn't help feeling closer to Finn. Especially since he learned of the 'secret' relationship of Finn with a young red-haired vampire.

"Innocent until proven guilty," Kol grinned, both his good arm and his bleeding stump lifted up as he moved in front of Nora. "Hello Finn. Long time no see."

Oddly enough, Nora didn't seem to care to be in the presence of one of his siblings and leaned to the side to look at Finn.

"That's Finn?" she wondered aloud, causing Finn to look at her with curiosity. "Okay, I guess I can see a family resemblance. At least he's not trying to look like a perfect angel. Or a psychopath."

Ah, his Darling was just perfect.

"Still with that? I remember a time when you were always polite with strangers."

She barely glanced at him before she quipped, "they are not strangers. One is the only tolerable brother you have and the other will be your future lunch once I have torn off her arm."

Trusting Finn to not attack him and to stop the witch from doing so, he turned around to face Nora, his grin all but gone. They stared at each other for a few seconds, Finn and the unknown witch's stares heavy.

"Is it alright?" he mouthed to Nora worriedly.

The small amused smile slipped off her face and she nodded before touching his good arm. "It's alright if it's him," she replied in the same way.

Far from reassuring him, a from appeared on his face. Beside the time Elijah had killed her, several centuries in the future, Nora had never met his siblings. Lately, Kol had been thinking to keep it that way for the next nine centuries until Nora's first time jump. At least, that way, he could ensure her existence.

For Finn to not be a reason to worry, it meant he wasn't a part of his life in the future. Either something happened to him, or he chose to leave. Knowing he was in love with Sage, a woman his siblings hated, Kol truly hoped it was the second option.

He turned back toward Finn with a grin, the concern hidden deep inside him. "So, what are you doing here Finn? With your two arms? Usually, I'm the one who run with witches, not you."

Finn smiled back. Being with Sage seemed to good for him. He was less tensed than before and didn't look like a constipated fish anymore.

"I had business in the village. And you? Our meeting point was at the town's gate, not in this village."

A wide smirk split Kol's face as his eyes twinkled in delight at the prospect of teasing Finn. "Is this business called Sage? I think I can hear someone else in this house. Let me guess…" he tapped his chin. "The damsel wishes to walk in the sun again, right?" He then glanced at the witch. "You let them come in, so you're helping them, isn't it?"

Finn stopped the woman from answering. "How do you know about Sage?"

"Finn, my dear and oh so tragically naïve brother, the only one who doesn't know about your Sage is our lovely father. A good thing he's so obsessed with Nick or he would be here to lecture you about courting a former whore."

"It wasn't her choice," Finn snapped. "Her parents sold her when she was a child."

Nora clicked her tongue, interrupting the conversation. "Now buddy, Kol didn't say anything wrong, just facts. No need to be angry. Beside, the real issue with whores lies with the clients. No clients, no market; end of discussion. Now, can I know why that damn witch is still looking at my man like a lovesick cow?"

Kol burst out laughing, the sound waking the witch from her torpor. He wrapped his intact arm around Nora's shoulder, leaning against her. "Now Darling, all these years by my side and you still don't know that you are the only one for me? No need to be jealous."

"Jealous?" she glared at him before she pushed him away and dug her fingers into his wound.

He immediately hissed, his eyes flashing red. Dark veins appeared beneath his eyes before fading away. During this short span of time, Finn had left the house to stand beside them, worried and ready to defend what he probably saw as a too brave woman - to not say stupid enough to anger a vampire.

"That… was harsh Nora," Kol breathed out.

"She hurt you," she spat. "She doesn't dare to leave her house to face the consequences of her acts but looking at you bleeding all over the place? No problem!"

"Right…" he glanced at Finn briefly, "Don't worry, there is absolutely no risk that I hurt Nora." He then pulled the woman by his side closer. "Nora, Darling, sadly, the witch seems to be a friend of Finn. Killing my brother's friend would be bad form."

His words calmed Nora and Finn stepped back.

"Alright," she agreed ad then admitted, "Killing her because of a non permanent wound is a tad overkill."

Even as she spoke, Kol noticed the curious stares from the villagers. Whether it was the voices raising or the blood drawing their attention, Kol wasn't sure. Well, it was a lie. It was probably the blood. And his missing arm. His healing soon to be back arm.

A frown marring his forehead, Finn hesitated before going back to the witch. "Sófi, maybe you should invite them in? It's not a good time to draw attention to ourselves."

The witch - Sófi – didn't answer him straight away, her eyes going back to Kol. Finally, she nodded and said in a clear voice, "Come on in."

Nora followed him inside the house, stepping on Sófi's foot as she crossed the threshold - and putting all her weight on her leg as she did so. When Kol glanced at her with amusement, she simply shrugged and said with an innocent smile stretching her lips, "no permanent wounds."

* * *

 **End of chapter 20!**

 **So about those one-shots I spoke in the last chapters. I have sooo much ideas! Which one would you want first?**

 **1\. Kol and Nora meeting future and original Klaus/Elijah/Kol/Rebekah in TVD/TO (you pick)**

 **2\. Kol and Nora meeting Elena and co in VD**

 **3\. Harry Potter**

 **4\. Lords of the Ring**

 **5\. Avengers**

 **We are not there yet, but the 100th reviewer will get to choose the plot for a one-shot.**


	23. Chapter 21

**Timeline**

 _10th century - 1001 \- Human Kol meets Nora for the very first time. She is roughly a hundred years old. She stays with him for four years and dies trying to save Henrik._

 _1033 (Kievan Rus) - Kol meets a younger Nora. She has been time-travelling for six months. She stays with Kol a few months The witch Kamil is trying to find what Nora is._

 _1033-1114 \- Nora appears in China. For her, 1001 is a bit more than one week ago. She travels around the world with Kol._

 _1114 \- Kol gets a message from his siblings. He goes to Italy with Nora._

 _October 1409 \- Nora meets for the very first time Kol._

 _1789 (France) - Nora dies alone while Kol is daggered. She has been time-travelling for four months._

 _October 21, 2010 (USA) - 20 years old Nora died and time-travelled for the first time._

* * *

 **Chapter 21**

Sófi's home sweet home was warm in a way that had nothing to do with the temperature. Golden suns, bright blue skies, trees and flowers were painted on the walls and the main room was bathed in warm light thanks to openings overlooking a beautiful garden. The fragrance of flowers was strong, tickling delightfully Kol's nose from the very moment he crossed the threshold of the house.

As he walked over to a large wooden table with Nora by his sides, a young vampire appeared in the room and sat next to Finn. Fair skin, clear green eyes and long wavy bright red hair, she smiled at them tentatively and said, "Do all Mikaelsons have a soft spot for redheads or is it just the two of you?"

At the head of the table, Sófi snorted as Kol responded with a chuckle, "Nice opening gambit. Sage, is it? I approve."

"Good to know, even though I don't actually need your approval to be with Finn. Still, I have to admit, it does feel nice to hear that one of his siblings doesn't want me dead for daring to look at him."

"Yes, I can imagine." He paused for a moment before adding with a smirk, "To be fair, I am pretty sure they just don't like you. Whether or not you and Finn are making eyes at each other doesn't really matter at this point."

Someone else might have been offended by his words but Sage simply shrugged with a helpless smile. On her left, Finn briefly glanced at Sage before his eyes went back to Nora and Kol, looking at the two of them like rare animals. "You have changed, Kol."

In a way, Kol understood what Finn meant. Over the past decades, he was always alone for his visits to his siblings and never stayed long. He drank happily with Bekah, Nik and Elijah - which never failed to arise Finn's utter disgust - and boasted about his greatest slaughters. The reasons behind those were never brought into light though. His current behavior with Nora must be quite odd to see for his brother.

With a mirthless grin, Kol retorted, "Have I?"

Nora turned her head towards him with a slightly uneasy look and squeezed his knee under the table, the warmth of her hand comforting. They shared a glance at one another as Finn nodded and said, "You look less…"

His voice trailed off and he looked away.

"Crazy Finn," Sage teased him. "Crazy is the word you are looking for if what you told me about your brother is true. Mad and unhinged also work."

Under normal circumstances - meaning when Kol was far, far away from his brother's precious lover -, Sage's words might have made Finn laugh. Unfortunately for his future sister-in-law, Kol was there and Finn looked rather wary and ready to attack him. As if Kol would kill his future sister-in-law over a poor choice of words - or a good one, to be honest.

Sófi on the other hand merely raised her eyebrows before pouring herself a cup of wine, completely relaxed.

"Forgive her Kol," Finn pleaded, "that is not what I meant to say."

Nora snickered, her fingernails tapping the table, "That's only because you have never seen him when it's his turn to do the laundry. Crazy is then a perfect word to describe him."

A fond smile immediately reached across Kol's face as he reached out to play with Nora's hair, his hand running up and down the long locks. That woman, seriously… She always knew what to say, didn't she?

He watched as the tension slowly left his brother's body. Oh, it was still there, hidden behind an awkward smile and tense shoulders as Finn decided to follow Sófi's example and grabbed the wine jar to pour himself a cup. Once it was done, he began to fill the other cups and asked Kol, "Doing the laundry? This isn't like you. Actually, I can't even imagine you doing a single household chore."

"Me too brother, me too," he said carelessly before continuing with a smirk, "but it is what happens when you live with a woman who refuses to have her undergarments washed by strangers."

The effect was immediate and Sófi and Sage turned red. As for Finn, he had to put his cup down to cough, a blush spreading all over his face down to his neck.

Sometimes, Kol felt like he was out of step with his times. All thanks to Nora, of course. A man speaking of female undergarments was frowned upon and yet here he was, doing exactly that. Although, Finn's embarrassment truly bordered on the ridiculous. He couldn't help but wonder whether his brother closed his eyes every time Sage undress before him just so he wouldn't have to see the terrible lingerie.

Picturing such a scene in his mind made him snort in amusement and Nora gave him a knowing glance before she brought a cup to her lips to hide her growing smile.

"Right," Sófi said after clearing her throat, "I know you are Kol Mikaelson but maybe you could introduce the young woman by your sides. It would be nice to know something other than her preference regarding the washing of her…undergarments."

"Sweetheart?" he glanced at Nora, only to see her still fighting a laugh. She didn't even bother to reply as she was busy biting into her lips and pinching her thigh. He leaned in to peck her on the cheek before he said, all humor forgotten, "I hope no information about her is going to reach Niklaus, Elijah and Rebekah."

In the silence that followed, he trailed the fingers of his finally healed hand over the rim of his cup as he let his words sank in. After a moment or two, he added in a dark voice, "should they ever know about her, I assure you… the consequences would be unbearable."

Understanding passed through Finn' eyes but Kol made a point to make eye contact with Sófi and Sage too. Only then did he continue to speak, "My Darling's name is Nora Caldwell. She is…"

For the first time since… well ever, really, he hesitated over the words he should use. It was the first time Nora was introduced to a member of his family. Love of his life was a good choice of words and was enough to show how much she meant to him. Yet… his heart shook as his gaze fell on Nora, still grinning silly behind her cup.

He wanted to call her his wife.

"… the love of my life," he still ended up saying, his face softening as inwardly he made his decision.

Once he was done with this visit to his siblings, he would bring her to the East and its cold area. To Kievan Rus where she had confessed her feelings for him. After so many decades, his memories of the East weren't bitter anymore. Quite the contrary, actually. The East was where he had first found her in his vampiric life. It was the perfect place to ask her to marry him.

"How long have you been together?" Sage asked in curiosity, the same feeling displayed on Finn's face.

Before he could reply, Sófi said confidently, "At least eighty years, isn't it?"

Nora tensed, eyes narrowed, "And how do you know that?"

"No need to get defensive, I would never try to hurt Kol Mikaelson. Early, the spell wasn't meant for him in particular, it was merely a protection against the creatures of the night. I owe him my life. Eighty years ago in Bulgary he saved me and brought me back to my parents even though he could have left me to my fate. Of course, my family wanted to repay the debt but he left before we could do so, only saying there was someone waiting for him. I guess it was you."

"You remember quite well events from so long ago," Nora insisted unconvinced.

"Kol Mikaelson protects my people," Sófi responded with a firm voice. "Even today, witches lead a peaceful life in the East. No witches there would ever desire to hurt in any way Kol Mikaelson."

The more she spoke, the more Kol could recall a scared little girl. What should have only been one face among many became clearer as it was closely-related to another memory, one he cherished deeply - the younger Nora's arrival, Kievan Rus, 1033.

"Why come in Italy then?" he wondered out loud. "Sure it is sunnier and warmer, but who know what the people here would do to a witch?"

Sófi smirked, "I am not a defenseless child anymore. I believe you saw it with your own eyes… and arm, didn't you?" She chugged down her drink before wiping her lips off. She then turned to Nora. "Now, my apologies if this is sounding impolite, but what are you? Not a witch, because even the best spell wouldn't stop you from aging a bit. Unless Kol snatched you out of a cradle? Not a blood drinker either as you walk under the sun without a ring on your finger… So, what are you, Nora Caldwell?"

Casting a quick glance at the two vampires and the witch, Kol draped one arm over Nora's shoulder and shamelessly lied, "Oh, I assure you. My Darling is definitely a creature of the night." His fingers ran up and down her neck. "And a magnificent one. There is nothing more wonderful for me than seeing her with her teeth ripping someone's throat."

Inwardly, he wondered whether or not Finn would believe him if he were to admit he had never bitten Nora. Once, she had the clever idea to hurt herself to spice up their adventures between the sheets. Silly woman, really. He had brought her bloody hand to his mouth and only felt disgust. To him, Nora's blood was as bland as his and he hated seeing her hurt. However, seeing and feeling her lick his blood to heal her quicker never failed to arouse him.

Finn stared at them for a moment before making a face. Why? Kol wasn't sure. Maybe it was the wicked smile on his face or the idea of Nora going on a killing spree. After all, Finn had always been delicate.

Strangely, Sófi and Sage didn't show any disgust, or any reaction for the former. However, hope shone in Sage's eyes as she asked them, "Where is her lapis lazuli stone then?"

"Oh, a ring is so easy to lose," Nora shrugged and lied coyly. She then turned her head towards him, a bashful expression on her face and laughter barely concealed in her eyes. "I have chosen another piece of jewelry…somewhere only Kol can see."

That woman was just perfect.

"Well, it is a pretty lovely place Darling," he purred.

She pressed her face into his neck. "Especially when you are there."

Feeling her body shaking, he pinched her side discreetly to stop her from laughing. They were so good at fooling people, he wasn't going to let her ruin the moment.

Sófi almost choked to death on her own saliva while Finn and Sage turned crimson red, all the blood in their body rushing up to their faces. After several awkward minutes - for the three of them at least - Sage spoke again, "Then, you must know how to create a Daylight Amulet, don't you?"

"Of course I do" Kol replied with a shrug. "Finn and Sófi don't?"

The witch sighed and rested her elbows on the table as she admitted, "I have yet to find a good spell. I am not used to help blood drinkers, or vampires as people are calling you nowadays. I agreed to help Finn and Sage because Finn was your brother. Well, that, and Finn bribed me with new paints."

"Mother's grimoire is still in your hands Kol," Finn added. "As far as I know, you are the only one who knows the spell Mother used to protect us from the sun. Would you be willing to help us?"

"No offence, Sófi, but there is no way I let you lay a finger on the grimoire of my dear and very dead mother."

There were too many dangerous spell written in that. By the end of her life, Esther had been pretty wacky.

"But," he continued to say, "I guess I could dictate the spell to you."

"It will have to wait though," Nora interrupted. "Finn and you are meant to meet your siblings today. Somehow, I doubt Psycho Niklaus and Saintly Doll Elijah will take kindly to the both of you being late. And I know you have missed Rebekah. Besides, one more day away from the sun won't kill Sage, right?"

Nora wasn't wrong and the look on Finn's face told him his brother knew this as well. It didn't mean Finn liked it but well, there wasn't anything he could do at this point. All the cards were in Kol's hands and Finn was bound to not do anything that could offend him and change his mind. Not that he would but Finn didn't know that.

"I was hoping to find a place to live before," he said, shaking his head as irritation swept over his features. "The initial plan to let you here with Sófi has to be cancelled."

"I know we don't know each other but I can swear on my magic to never hurt Nora," Sófi said calmly. "I told you before, I owe you. Sage already lives here during the day and I have a free room for you. All I am asking is to not bring your… meals here."

Nora let out a chuckle. "Oh dear, Kol didn't mean to question your good faith. Originally, we planned to ask you to allow us to stay in your home for a few weeks. Now though, several people have seen Kol bleeding with a missing arm. Last I knew, human arms don't grow back. How do you think they will react to a Kol with two good arms?"

"Well, Sófi does have a very sharp knife if you want," Finn chimed in.

"Thanks Finn, I love you too," Kol deadpanned. "You might try as well. Sharing is caring."

"No thank you Kol, I think I'll pass."

"What about compelling the village?" Sage suggested.

Now, that was a pretty good idea. It wasn't like he had never done it before. "What do you think Darling?"

Nora peered at him with her bright blue eyes for a moment before she nodded. "It might be for the best."

"Alright, let's do that tomorrow then," Sófi concluded. After that, she showed them their room, one also filled with paintings of skies and suns and the scent of flowers.

He wrapped his arms around Nora holding her close to him and kissed her forehead before leaving the house with Finn and heading to the stable.

"A horse?" Kol asked dubiously. "Why don't we run?"

Just the thought of running at full speed left his legs twitching. Sadly, Finn shook his head as his hand went to stroke the mane of a mare. "Surely you have heard the rumors on your way here? They call us vampires, but the name didn't come out of nowhere. There are hunters in the town we live. A group of five brothers. Once they get their hands on a vampire, they torture and burn them in front of people as an attraction."

"And none of you have tried to stop them?" Kol asked seriously. "A little blow in the neck, and problem solved."

"This is a bit more complicated Kol," Finn denied. After a sigh, he got on the horse and Kol hopped on the back of a grey stallion. "They are not aware our family can walk under the sun and believe us to be human. As such, they are not a real problem."

"Right. And of course nobody is asking why they keep finding people with bites on their neck during the day," Kol said sarcastically. "Unless you lot have decided to stop drinking blood and to spend your time grazing on grass instead."

"We only feed outside the town during the night."

Finn couldn't be serious, right? He had better things to do than spend his nights looking for some foolish people to feed on.

"And doing it during the day without killing anyone never crossed your minds?" he deadpanned, finding it hard to believe he was the one saying this. "A little drop of blood and the little human is walking the streets without a scratch. "

"Our days are rather busy…" Finn's voice trailed off, as if he was trying to admit something but wasn't sure how to say it.

Finally, just as the town appeared on the horizon and the first sounds of the town reached them, Finn said, "Rebekah is in love…and betrothed to one of the hunter."

"WHAT?!" he squeaked and choked.

Maybe Nora was right. Maybe he had been adopted.

* * *

 **End of chapter 21**

 **I hope the timeline is well-done and helpful. I will put it every time we reach a new time. The chapter was a bit hard to write as I find it quite difficult to write a scene with more than two characters. It is a good exercise though.**

 **For the oneshots, no 1 wins (Kol and Nora meeting future and original Klaus/Elijah/Kol/Rebekah in TVD). It will be online the same day as the next chapter :)**

 **Stay home and healthy in these difficult times. See you next time !**


	24. Chapter 22

**Chapter 22**

* * *

"KOL!" Rebekah screeched as she ran into his arms, a wide smile shining on her beautiful face. Wrapping his arms around her, Kol hugged her and twirled her around in the air, both of them laughing.

Finn and he had just reached his siblings' house. It was a beautiful red brick villa. With the golden sun shining on it, the villa almost looked orange, giving to the passers-by a feeling of warmth. Although it was located in town, it was far from the modest dwellings and the few villas around only belonged to rich families.

It didn't surprise Kol. The Mikaelson family had never been one to settle for nothing less than the best.

"It's been too long brother!" Rebekah exclaimed happily once she was back on her own two feet. " I really missed you and there is so much I have to tell you."

"I imagine so," Kol said with a lopsided smile, "though there was nothing stopping you from coming to see me." And it was true, as Nora had never really said anything against his little sister.

"And let Nik and Elijah alone?" she giggled innocently, her blue eyes sparkling. "You know I cannot do that. Always and forever, remember?"

"Right." As if he could forget that. "And your betrothed is aware that he is also marrying these two?" That would be one weird household, to be honest.

"Idiot," Rebekah said instead of answering, still giggling. "Alexander is a good friend of our family. Actually, you will meet him this evening."

Bloody hell. It wasn't enough that his little sister was going to marry a vampire hunter with the approval of Elijah and Niklaus. No, their brothers were actually friends with the hunter? Had his family lost pieces of their brains since his last visit?

Glancing at Finn, he met his embarrassed and resigned gaze. Alright, maybe not his entire family.

"So, let me get this straight dear sister of mine, I just learned today that you are engaged to a man I have never met or even heard of… And you still want to introduce me to your betrothed today? Are you not scared that I will kill him?"

Rebekah didn't seem to be shaken by his words. Instead she merely shrugged and said in a deadpan voice, "As if I would let you hurt the man I love. Besides, I know you. You would never hurt me." Words like that were the reason why Rebekah was still his favorite of the family. While she hated how he could act, she still trust him.

Grabbing his hand, she pulled him towards the entrance door. "Now, come with me. Elijah and Nik are waiting for you inside. They have been looking forward to seeing you again."

"I'm sure they have been… But perhaps you could explain me why they couldn't welcome me before the house?" If he spoke a bit harsher than usual, no one said anything.

"They are overseeing the banquet preparation," Rebekah explained. "During the dinner, Alexander will not only meet you but also speak about the marriage with Elijah and Niklaus. Everything must be perfect. I have told him so much about you, he is quite excited to meet you."

He felt a pang of hurt when he realized he wouldn't even have a word regarding his sister's wedding. Elijah and Nik would be the one overseeing everything while he, like always, would stay in the background. Whether or not he was there didn't actually matter.

"Me too," he managed to say with a forced smile, Finn casting him a knowing glance as he did so. After all, Kol wasn't the only one in the background.

Fortunately, Rebekah didn't notice anything, too busy with her rambling. She met Alexander in the market place and it was love at first sight for the man. She told Kol that when her betrothed first saw her, he compared her beauty with the sun. Of course, she was charmed. Such sweet-talking made it hard to remain unfazed. Still, she didn't take it very seriously.

Sadly - in Kol's point of view - a few meetings here and there quickly changed Rebekah's mind. With compliments and a tragic story - you need to understand Kol, Alexander and his four brothers lost their parents when they were young and their older sister had to work hard to feed them, only to die of exhaustion afterwards - Rebekah was besotted by the handsome young man.

Of course, just like every epic love story, she encountered a terrible obstacle. Elijah and Niklaus, because Kol and Finn's opinions were as important to her as the imaginary invisible ghost of an ant with no legs. And because love conquers all, Elijah and Niklaus accepted Alexander with open arms, only wishing for their sister's happiness.

"And the fact that your beloved kills people like us?" he asked just before entering the room where Elijah and Nik were.

Against all odds, Rebekah answered proudly, "A proof of nobility and his bravery. Alexander only wants for the people to be safe."

"Are you not afraid that he will betray you once he discovers you are a vampire?"

"No," she answered tersely. "I know he won't. I trust him."

The way she was staring at him when saying this troubled him but he didn't say anything. Knowing his sister, she would tell him later. Besides, no matter how much he disliked the idea of Rebekah marrying a vampire hunter, she wasn't a child anymore and was free to make her own choices.

"Brother, here at last, you certainly took you time to get here," Nik said when Kol entered the room. As for Elijah, his brother didn't even bother with words, perfectly content with a simple wave of his hand and a polite smile. Once done, he grabbed a cup of wine.

"Hello to you too Nik, I am fine, thanks, and you?" Kol said flatly, taking a seat. "Oh, Elijah, you're here. Sorry, I didn't see you. Are you the first of us to manage to catch a disease? No voice anymore? Darling, I hope you get better soon."

"Kol, as charming as ever," Elijah chuckled. "Tell me brother, how many villages suffered your ravenous appetite during your travels?"

"Brother, your loving words make my heart beat really fast. You know me so well Elijah. Do you spend a lot of time dreaming of me?" He pressed his hands against his cheeks dramatically. "Dear God, I think I am blushing."

Nik rolled his eyes and poured him a drink. The liquid was clear, void of the smallest drop of blood, just like Finn had told him. A good thing they made a quick stop earlier. Losing an arm and growing it back tended to make one thirsty.

"How was your journey Kol?" Nik asked cautiously. "Have you been careful like we asked you? We cannot have Mikael here, ruining our lives once more." He sent a smile at Rebekah. "Especially when our lovely sister is about to start a new chapter of her life."

"No need to worry, I covered my tracks. Have you heard of that town in the South? What was the name… Right, Valkorn," he said with a wicked smirk. "Magnificent town, you would have loved it there. Such a pity that the villagers had to put to death and drain the blood of eleven men. Well, five actually because the others didn't die of blood loss. But they are definitely dead. And deader than dead, if you know what I mean. Rumors said they were a bunch of heretics looking for virgins to dismember on an altar."

"And the truth?" Although Rebekah spoke dryly, she was unable to hide the amusement in her eyes or the ghost of a grin on her lips.

Hearing Rebekah's question, Kol did what his siblings expected of him and cackled evilly. "They were a bunch of bastards."

"Of course," Elijah said drily as he eyed Kol with disgust and annoyance, not even bothering to conceal his feelings. "Why am I not surprised? Let me guess, you were in a tavern and one of them spilled their drink on you?"

His right eye twitched and his smile became strained. As his grip on the metal cup tightened, the iron creaked in his hand. He loosened his fingers and put it down on the table. "Something like that."

The truth was that the six bastards had dared to abduct Nora when he was feeding. Their goal was pretty basic and unoriginal as they wanted to sell her and several other women as slaves. Nora had killed two and left a third man dying in an alley before the other three managed to knock her out.

When he came back, smelling her blood in a dirty alley, he quickly got his answer from the dying man and ripped out his heart before leaving. When he found Nora, she had a bruise on her face. So, he did what any vampire would have done and used the three men to refine his methods of torture. Weeks later, he could still hear their screams in his mind.

As for the five people who died from blood loss… Well, he was kind of sorry for them as they had simply been at the wrong place when he was really angry. They did got pretty graves when the poor compelled villagers suddenly realized they had mistaken those five poor people for heretics. Unless the six bastards whose remains were given to the dogs.

A smirk appeared on Nik's face. "I do know of Valkorn, but I would have never guessed it was you. Well done brother. Looks like you're getting better at this."

Kol emptied his cup in one gulp and wiped off his mouth with the back of his hand. It was going to be a long night. "Yes well, I didn't want our dear and caring father to notice me and ruin our sister's wedding." He paused, his eyes opening wide. "Wait, I didn't know our sister was getting married. I just learned about it today."

Nik waved him off carelessly, "Such news should not be told through a letter."

"No indeed, Nik. In your mind, a letter is only useful to give me the order to go somewhere. Remind me to do exactly the same when I get married."

A loud laugh filled the room and shook Nik's body. Rebekah joined him quickly even though there was a slight blush on her cheeks. A clear sign she was aware that she was in the wrong.

Eyebrows raised and a knowing gleam in his eyes, Finn looked like he had already known what his intentions towards the beautiful woman waiting for him in Sófi's home were. He could hardly wait to call her his wife. She just had to say yes, of course.

"You still need to find a woman who can put up with you Kol," Finn said with a laugh, the only one here understanding what it was about.

Elijah lifted his cup towards Finn, "I can only say amen."

"Same," Nik managed to say through his laughter.

Not one to be left out, Rebekah giggled, "Not like Finn, isn't it? Although, in his case, the question is how he put up with _her_. This Sage is so rude. Kol, the day you bring a woman home, please, make sure she doesn't come from a brothel."

Kol was good at hiding his anger. Had always been, really. But even he find it hard to be stoic as he felt a flash of anger at Rebekah's comment and the smirks on the faces of the naughty Always-And-Forever trio. He narrowed his eyes at them. "Good thing Finn and I are old enough to make our own decisions." With that said he gave Rebekah a forehead flick.

In all honesty Kol didn't understand why Finn was staying silent when the trio was clearly mocking Sage. Did he love their family so much? He could be a whole lot happier living with Sage and visiting their siblings once in a while and yet here he was.

* * *

Later, before the dinner, Kol was lounging on a bench in the garden, his eyes on the sky and the evening sun. Finn had left to do something and his two other brothers were going about their own business - the banquet preparation. Of course, said banquet preparation didn't involve their hands cooking. Instead, it involved the difficult task of sitting and giving orders to servants. All the while drinking wine, of course.

Rebekah's betrothed would soon arrive there. As such, Kol was caught offguard when the blond appeared before his eyes. Not saying a word, she sat at the edge of the bench, her hands wringing in her lap.

"Hey you," Kol smiled softly and sat up, "is something wrong Bekah?"

"I…" She lowered her head and mumbled, "Can we speak? A bit further away?"

Oh? Did his adorable sister have secrets she didn't want to share with Nik and Elijah? "Of course Bekah."

He gave her his arms and they walked in silence. Once they were far enough, Rebekah hesitantly asked, "Can I trust you with a secret?"

He raised his eyebrows. "Why ask something when you already know the answer?"

She shook her head. "I'm serious Kol."

"As am I." He brushed a lock of golden hair behind her ear. "You know you can trust me Bekah. I will never hurt or betray you."

"I know. It is why it is hard to tell you… Yet I am aware you are the only person I can tell the truth."

If she wanted to make him worried, it was a success. "What is it Rebekah?"

She let out a sigh and her forever seventeen years-old face suddenly seemed older, the weight of years darkening her gaze. "Alexander already knows I am not human," she admitted sorrowfully, "that I am a monster who lives off blood."

There was something akin to sadness in her voice, but he could also hear her relief. Still, he couldn't help but tense. "And how did he react? Not too badly, I guess, if he is coming here."

"He truly loves me Kol. We spoke and…" She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them again, there were full of tears. The smile stretching her lips was strained and broken. "There is a cure Kol. Every time Alexander kills a vampire, a piece of a map appears on his arm. It leads to a cure and Alexander wants to bring me there when the map is complete. I will be human once again, have a home with my husband, bear his children, watch them grow old, show Alexander my first grey hair and smile at my grandchildren. Then, after a long life filled with laughter, I want my body to be buried by my husband's side. This is what I want Kol, and I know it is horrible because I am going to leave you all but I-"

She couldn't finish her sentence. When he saw the tears running down her face, something broke inside Kol and he took her into his arms, her face buried in his chest and his hand running through her hair. "Rebekah, there is nothing wrong with wanting this."

"Then why do I feel guilty?" she cried before glancing up at him. "Do you want to take the cure with me, Kol? You could be a witch again."

He answered without hesitation, "No Bekah, I like my life." He would never stop loving magic. However, it was easy to choose between doing magic again and staying with Nora. Besides his family, Nora was first in his heart. "But I will be there for you Rebekah. Always. And I will stop anyone, Nik and Elijah included, from ruining your dream and stopping you from making your own choices. If taking this cure to be human again is what your heart desires, then this is what you will have. And when the time comes for you to take your last breath, I will be by your side to hold your hand."

She nodded and he continued to hold her until there were no more tears. Then, he used his sleeve to wipe her face and proceeded to braid her hair.

"I wasn't expecting you to be that good at doing this," Rebekah remarked with wide eyes as she stared at the flowers stuck in her braid.

He let out a laugh before saying with a grin, "You don't even know what you look like. But if you must know, I have quite the experience in braiding hair."

She scrunched up her nose in disgust, "I don't need to know what you do with your lovers before you eat them, Kol."

"Then don't be surprised the day you receive a wedding invitation."

A warm grin lit up her face as she said, "I will be dead long before it happens brother. Now, Alexander will arrive soon. I hope you will like him."

"Shouldn't you be a little concerned? Just imagine, he could leave you if I like him. After all, I am the better looking Mikaelson."

* * *

 **End of chapter 22. I hope you liked it and sorry for the late update. I don't know about you but staying home for such a long time makes me want to do nothing but sleep and read fics. Actually, if doing nothing was an olympic game I could easily win a gold medal.**

 **Also, as promised, the oneshot side-fic of The way we burn is now there and called _Dancing with a drunk milkshake and drinking strawberry people._**

 **Bye and stay safe!**


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